A lot has happened in this past year. The organization has gone through a name change (now known as EquallyAble Foundation), around 3000 people have received assistance, $442000 approved since 2001 for various programs. We have initiated 3 new high impact programs (while continuing our core programs) this year, that will further transform the lives of people with disabilities in India:

1. Disabled Women Business Enterprise-Provide training, tools and equipment to women with disabilities from the poor and disadvantaged neighborhoods, empower them to run their own small enterprise, $50K 
2.Thulir Center for Mentally Challenged-Assist mentally challenged learn skills to build foam cups etc; build production unit, building etc, anticipated cost $100K-200K.
3. Institute of Empowerment -Provide an inclusive environment conducive to learning without having to worry about physical limitations,transportation, food & shelter to aspiring students with disabilities from rural areas, anticipated cost $.5M-1M.

The programs in the USA on inclusion and awareness have been very effective in addressing a gap in our society and have offered a forum for continued dialogue and support in different cities and community centers.

While all this point towards a good story, these programs can only be sustained with your support. Inshallah Tala, this year our target is to raise $500,000 way more than approximately $130000 that was raised last year.  We hope that you will help us get there and to achieveour target.

Please donate more than what you have in the past, it will bring a lifetime of happiness for people with disabilities. Thank you.

Notice something in particular about one of them. His name is Anil, and he cannot walk, because of the polio that attacked his lower body many years ago. His family could not afford a wheelchair for Anil to go to school. Anil’s future held nothing for him. He though he’d sit by the window, watching all of his neighborhood friends go to school while all he probably could do was watch them, and only hope that somewhere there was a flicker of hope that would miraculously get his family enough money to pay for a wheelchair.

But not for long did Anil stay at home. His close friend is the other boy with Anil this day that we are watching them. His name is Ahmed. He hears about Anil and the polio that clenched his legs and would not let go. Ahmed does not have to think for long. He knows what he has to for Anil as a friend.

The next morning before school Ahmed shows up at Anil’s doorstep. When asked why, Ahmed says, “I am here to take Anil to school.”

He cannot walk,” says Anil’s mother.

“I am aware,” says Ahmed. “I will carry him on my back to school. Anil must learn.

Anil’s mother’s joy cannot be expressed, and neither can Anil’s

And so, Ahmed carries Anil on his back to school every single day from his home to the IIIT. And then in the hot, sticky afternoon air, he carries him home again.

EquallyAble (formerly HelpHandicap) came to know about this scenario. The foundation has provided Anil with a wheelchair to help him go back and forth to school easily. Anil will continue his education…and his friendship with Ahmed since he came in to show him a new path in a town with different religious overtones and cultures

-This story is contributed by Sara Yousuf, a sixth grade student at Greenbriar West Elementary School, Fairfax, Virginia.

Everyone is different. Some of us are special. We learn or communicate in different ways than others. We may look different from other people. This frightens some people, which is why they belittle those special ones. But think of it this way. What if it were your own kids or brothers or sisters or family members who had special conditions? Would you deride them too, push them out of your life, have nothing to do with them? Society is important too. Would you ignore your best friend just because they had a special needs child or relative? Isn’t that unfair? But if they were related to you…

A camp in Humayunnagar in Hyderabad is dedicated to meeting the needs of mentally challenged student. Hundreds of students reside in this camp, called PAWMENCAP. PAWMENCAP is short for the Parents Association for the Welfare of Mentally and Physically Handicapped. A remarakable efforts by a few has lead a showing a new way for those among us who are dealing with cognitive, learning and mentally challenges.

EquallyAble stepped into the picture and gave the PAWMENCAP a financial aid of four-thousand dollars. With this help, PAWMENCAP was able to support 59 students.

It is with small centers like these, and parents like the ones in Humayunnagar, that education and training is made possible for the mentally and physically handicapped. EquallyAble is working to fund many of these camps, such as the Mentally Challenged camp in Pune.

When we support or establish these small centers and or schools, the people with special needs in need of education and training get a chance to show that they are not disabled…but able.

-This story is contributed by Sara Yousuf, a sixth grade student at Greenbriar West Elementary School, Fairfax, Virginia.

EquallyAble Foundation will be run on the same principles and processes, and will follow the same of rules of engagement that were the hallmark of HelpHandicap Foundation. The vision of EquallyAble will be the same, to empower people with disabilities—one person, one community at a time. As part of this new initiative, a new logo and a new website will be launched in May 2010.

As we are broadening our vision and scope and going through this change, we look forward to your continued support and encouragement.

 In the meantime, please continue to use HelpHandicap website for information and or to make online donations. The online payment processing will work for both organizations ( ie EquallyAble Foundation and HelpHandicap Foundation).

 Thank you for your cooperation as we go through this change.

As part of this new initiative the following programs will be offered shortly:
1. Disability Awareness Day – where the topic of disability, inclusion and awareness will be the subject of discussions at various places of worship in different places and cities
2. Holiday Celebration Day – where families of children with special needs will gather to celebrate, share and enjoy the day with an exchange of gifts, ideas and support groups
3. Assistive Technology for Congregational Prayers – where a possible technology solution will be provided for the hearing impaired towards their active participations at mass gatherings and prayer halls
4. Workshops on Inclusion and Awareness – where the issues of disability and inclusion within the community will be discussed in small groups and gatherings

HelpHandicap Foundation plans to collaborate and work with different non-profit organizations and foundations to offer these programs. The funding for these programs is expected to be raised by foundation grants and corporate donor contributions. Individual donations for these programs will be accepted with a specific mention of one of the above programs.

For many years, he struggled to his classes, in front of the neighbors, friends and family, classmates, in front of the whole village. He needed a lot of guts and courage to pass through the roads, lacking, when we decide to hide from the crowd because of a torn shirt or a ripped pant leg. Can you imagine passing in front of these obstacles everyday, when we decided these pebbles in our road are boulders?

It was like he was glued to it…swimming in the dust, the cement, pebbles, and grit of the floors scraping his knees. There was no way out. He lived as a part of the floor, for many years. His father, a weaver, earning $44 U.S. dollars a month to support the family, did the best he could. But there was no way out.

It was like a miracle when Jaleel’s family heard about HelpHandicap (HHF) through a non-profit organization known as FEED. His father wrote out the application, and months after they sent it, HHF approved to pay for Jaleel’s tuition worth of $800. So Jaleel went to the IIIT of Mehboobnagar, happy for an education. But there was still a boulder in his road. He still crawled to school. There was no way to escape the pointing crowds.

When we found out about how Jaleel got to school, they were not satisfied with the help they had given him so far. What good was an education when you were still getting your knees scraped? So it was decided to enable Jaleel with a wheelchair. Jaleel enters the smooth, sleek design of the wheelchair with delight.

Yet there is another boulder blocking his path. Jaleel’s school is not an accessible building, so there is no way for Jaleel to use his wheelchair to get in and out of the building. So a request was made for ramps for Jaleel’s wheelchair to the administration at IIIT.

Not only does HHF provide the three E’s, Education, Employment, and Equipment, they make sure that they can use of these materials properly and regularly; therefore they are making a change in the infrastructure…working towards making building and campuses accessible where possible

The Indian Institute of Information Technology – a college formed by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Technology, at the Bassar Campus, builds a ramp for him, so he can, with his wheelchair, enter the building without difficulty. Jaleel rolls his wheelchair smoothly into the building. Not any of us can express the joy he must’ve felt, finally getting to school without having his knees burn from the rough gravel, and without all of the crowds pointing at him. Jaleel feels cheery and delightful as he scrambles off to his class in his wheelchair.

HHF provides a happily ever lifestyle for their candidates –- but instead of cutting out there work for them, HHF provides the who-what-where and allows them to do the rest. The best way to put this is by using HHF’s motto – “Instead of giving them the fish, we show them how to fish.

Thus we go back to the story of Jaleel. From crawling around on the dusty cement floors, swimming with them, going to them, coming back to them, with all of the guts and courage inside of him, the esteem, the braveness of ignoring the people and the ruthless gravel, a young man goes to “standing” on his own, proving his worth to the crowd around him. His hands used to pull him to school, scraping his knees to burn and sting with the pitiless gravel; but now the wheelchair dusts off the gravel roads for him, leaving a cloud of sand blowing behind him.

-This story is contributed by Sara Yousuf, a fifth grade student at Kenbrrok Elementary School, Farmington Hills, Michigan

The  following items will be distributed:
1. Three wheel cycles
2. Manual wheelchairs
3. Crutches (pair, small, medium & large)
4. Blind Sticks
5. Walking Sticks
6. Hearing Aids (single & double cord)

The medical/distribution camps will be held in Delhi, Amroha, Aligarh and Rampur during January and February 2009. HHF is working with heathcare professionals and a local NGO in India to make this happen.

HHF is the only organization working for the betterment of people with disabilities in India. Since 2001, the foundation has empowered close to 2000 individuals with disabilities from inception. HHF will continue to support the core programs and will look for ways to impact the lives of people with disabilities in India – and make a difference.

We need your support of these programs. HHF appreciates your kind support and is looking forward to your continued support and donations in future.

To donate, click on the link on the right side for Google Checkout or Paypal.