Samarthanam Trust eshtablished in 1997 is a National Award winning non-profit organization, working towards facilitating opportunities to enable persons with disabilities and the underserved to keep pace with the rest of the society by providing quality education, accommodation, nutritious food, vocational training and placement-based rehabilitation. The organization is affiliated to the World Blind Union and is also awarded the ‘Special United Nations Consultative Status' in 2015.

Vision: An inclusive society free from discrimination where persons with disabilities become contributing members, living with dignity and respect.

Mission: To empower visually impaired, disabled and underprivileged people through developmental initiatives focusing on educational, social, economic, cultural and technological aspects with a goal to touch 100,000 lives by 2020

Journey of Samarthanam

• Started focusing on Education … as the founders believed that Education is the basic right for every person … irrespective of status and disability
• Samarthanam started developing primary/secondary schools for the visually impaired
• Students were also provided with scholarships
• Alongside the basic education …  IT training centers and Computer training centers were created for providing livelihood and employment opportunities
• As Samarthanam started to get more support … they expanded to other areas of Service, such as 
  • Parisara: A dry waste management program
  • Vidyaprasad: Mid-day meal program for Government students
  • Rehabilitation centers for women in distressed
  • Sports association for visually impaired … very prominently developing the Cricket Association for Blind in India (CABI)
• As the drive was perceived to be noble, the Organization received huge support around the world
• The impact of Samarthanam has expanded to 15 cities in India implementing major programs that touched the lives of 50,000 people … directly and indirectly
• And Samarthanam aims to continue it’s expansion to empower visually impaired and unprivileged people around the world

Milestones:

• 1997: Registration of Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled
• 1999: Inauguration of an IT training Centre for people with Visual Impairment
• 2003: The launch of ‘Parisara’ – A Dry Waste Management Programme
• 2004: Samarthanam High School established
• 2007: The launch of ‘Swadhara Gruh’- A center for Women in Distress
• 2010: Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) registered
• 2012: Samarthanam launched in the USA

Awards & Accomplishments:

• 2009: Aryabhata International Award in recognition of the excellent contribution and services in the field of Visually Impaired
• 2010: National Award for Child Welfare by Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India and received from Smt. Pratibha Patil, Honourable President of India
• 2012: Nominee for Indian of the Year - Public Service by CNN-IBN
• 2014: National Award for Child Welfare in the institution category received from Dr. Pranab Mukherjee, Honourable President of India
• 2014: Team India lifts the 4th ODI Cricket World Cup for the Blind
• 2016: Indian Cricket Team wins the 2nd T-20 Asia Cup
• 2017: National Award for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities received from Shri Ram Nath Kovind, Honourable President of India
• 2017: Team India wins the  2nd  Cricket World Cup for the Blind
• 2018: Team India wins the 5th ODI Cricket World Cup for the Blind

Learn more about Samartham here