Saamanjasya - The CSR Club, VGSoM, IIT Kharagpur
Purvodaya ’22- Parishram
Enabling dignity through mobility
Introduction:
Mission Samriddhi is a social impact enterprise dedicated to holistic human development in India,
through the design and development of projects that are sustainable and capable of scale to
positively impact the larger population. They support existing initiatives by harnessing the sensitivity
of NGOs, the spread of Government, and the speed of the private sector. They support their project
partners with resources and direction to build scalable programmes that directly contribute to the
fundamental community development markers of security in food, water, sanitation, healthcare,
housing, education, livelihood, financial services, etc. (For more details, check https://www.missionsamriddhi.org/ )
Freedom Trust, Foundation for the Rehabilitation Education and Empowerment of the Disabled of
Madras, is an NGO on the mission to empower disabled and economically impoverished by providing
them with mobility aids like wheelchairs, walkers, tricycles, tripods, callipers, crutches and other
locomotor aids, free of cost. They are one of the many initiatives currently being catalysed and
funded through Mission Samriddhi.
(For more details, checkhttp://www.freedomtrustchennai.org/index.php )
Current position and Future Goals:
With over 25 years of operations, the chief goal of Freedom Trust is to enable mobility and physical
independence to the disabled from rural India, thereby training them to be independent and extend
training and scholarship to talented differently abled children in the fields of arts, music & dance.
Freedom Trust has embarked on several projects like Walk India, Gram Vikalang Purnarjanmam
(GVP) and Appliance Bank to contribute to the cause of physically handicapped people and
differently-abled children. They conduct workshops and camps for providing the right set of
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equipment to the disabled people and conduct training sessions for ongoing usage. You can check
out the transformational work and impact from the below links
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rTcP1WSaFY&ab_channel=MissionSamriddhi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CikI0CFWO48&ab_channel=Dr.SunderSubramaniam
The act of Enabling Dignity through Mobility to the physically challenged instils confidence,
independence and empowers them to fulfil their potential. But the number of physically challenged
people with mobility issues who are being treated or helped is very limited. The scale of this problem
in our country stands at 2.68 crore (Source: 2011 census, updated 2016) of physically disabled people
accounting to 2.21% of the entire population. 20% of this disabled population have disability in
movement. Although the problem sounds massive, it is not unsolvable. Bridging the existing gap and
enabling them with the right equipment, training and know-hows would spark a revolution in
dignifying and empowering the physically challenged.
Walk India, the flagship project of Freedom Trust aims at fitting artificial limbs(prostheses) to every
amputee (below knee or above knee) pan India.
Step one: Partnering with a local NGO
Step two: Identifying deserving beneficiaries
Step three: Conduct an assessment camp to take measurements with the help a prosthetist team.
Step four: Manufacture the limb within a month's time
Step five: Do a trial fitment camp prior to the distribution and finally hand over the limb to the
beneficiary free of cost (sponsored by Corporates)
Since 2017, Freedom Trust has conducted a total of 451 camps, distributing 7426 mobility aids in over
10 states. In 2020-21, despite the existing challenges in a recovering post pandemic world, they have
hosted 44 GVP camps, 46 Walk India campaigns empowering 1172 physically challenged people.
Average cost of a below knee prostheses is ₹ 10,000 and above knee ₹ 12,000. For more details on the
existing operations, camp process, corporate tie-ups, NGO partnerships and online campaigns, check
their annual report here - http://www.freedomtrustchennai.org/annualreport.php .
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Problem Statement:
Connect the dots and propose a comprehensive approach on improving reach of WALK INDIA
Initiative (where measurements are taken for amputees in rural areas, and customised limbs
fitted) and chart out a plan to empower all the physically challenged people in any one specific
state of India (of your choice).
Understand the current operational model, existing programmes and the reach in any one state
Propose a scalable programme with phased approach covering all facets including and not limited
to the
 Demographics
 Creating awareness
 Maximizing reach
 Generating funds
 Upgradable models for different outreach programs and camps
 Creating a rich network with NGOs across the country
 Potential collaborations with private and government bodies, NGOs across the country
 Existing government schemes
 Enabling the application of existing research and technology in manufacture of limbs
 Other avenues for Freedom trust to empower the physically challenged in an entire state
Expectations:
Participants are expected to apply the Design thinking approach to solve the problem at hand
which entails empathetic understanding of the requirement and spending time crystalling the
requirement. Defining and redefining the problem by asking right questions and narrowing down to
tangible, brainstorming ideas by allowing multiple expertise and perspectives, evaluating the ideas
generated in terms of feasibility and scalability, communicating effectively the ideas generated to
make an impact.
Tricks and tips:
No idea is too crazy. Be open to perspectives and connect the dots to explore all aspects of your
idea. Remember to diverge, converge and communicate your impactful ideas in the best way.
Submission format: Maximum 3 slides excluding the annexure and cover page. PPT or PDF format.
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