Namma Vaani: Lessons from an unusual social network

Abstract

We must be aware how sections of our society can leverage (or not) the social systems we develop. Imagine that you are looking for a new job. Or say, for new business opportunities. Maybe you seek a solution to a pesky problem. What is the first place you would go? For several of us, certainly amongst those of us reading this article, I expect the answer to be some online entity. We are most likely to start our search at a favorite website, platform or app that link those seeking information or opportunities with people who may have the said information or opportunity. The ubiquity of online social networks and the diversity of applications is staggering. They are a large part of life for an increasing many. But for broad swaths of our society, particularly if you are differently-abled, poor, or both, this is still simply not the case.

One of my goals is to understand how best to include and empower persons who are differently-abled, and I have worked with Enable India for many years in this direction. A recent meeting with Shanti Raghavan and Dipesh Sutariya (co-founders of Enable India) gave us a chance to discuss this aspect of life: how being plugged into a network improves access to opportunities and information. During that conversation, I learned about one of their initiatives that is worth writing about. Read more at: https://www.forbesindia.com/article/iim-bangalore/namma-vaani-lessons-from-an-unusual-social-network/48531/1