While many NGOs teach vocational skills to adults with special needs and also create a conducive environment for them to make products using these skills, these exercises do not always translate into jobs or businesses that fetch them a livelihood.A resident of Royapettah, Anuradha Mahesh established SNEH — which expands to Special Needs Empowerment Hub — to improve the skills-to-jobs ratio. In plain terms, the non-profit makes the marketplace more accessible to adults with special needs.
A mother of a special needs child herself, Anuradha reveals that SNEH supports people with special needs variously, which includes sourcing raw materials, providing consultations, and taking the products they make to “our online marketplace”.
The chartered accountant runs the non-profit in Mandaveli with volunteers and in collaboration with NGOs.
SNEH’s online platform sells handmade products made by its members. These products include bags, pouches, files and folders. Proceeds from the sale of these products go towards paying the creators and funding initiatives that benefit the community. SNEH also offers direct internships with a stipend of ₹350 per day to people with special needs. Internships have to do with inventory management, housekeeping, tagging, ironing and packaging, among other day-to-day operations at the non-profit. “We welcome everyone with special needs to apply for these internships,” says Anuradha. Today, SNEH has executed over 300 orders and delivered over 3000 gift hampers for weddings, festivals, and corporate events. For details, visit https://www.snehindia.com
