Come 16 December, Bengaluru will host a car rally for awareness on autism

As a society, we have a long way to go when it comes to creating awareness on disabilities. Over the past few years, many NGO’s and activists have been joining hands to spread awareness across India. Assisted Living for Autistic Adults (ALFAA) is an NGO that reaches out exclusively to children and teenagers with autism in Bengaluru. ALFAA is gearing up for something unique. They are all set to hold a car rally in the garden city to spread awareness on autism.

The organizers of the event hope that this new experiment will catch the attention of people living in Bengaluru. The rally is all about concentrating on time, distance and speed (TSD) which are the most important criteria in rallies. So this will not be a typical rally where drivers speeds to reach the finishing point first. Almost 30 cars that participate in the rally are not allowed to exceed 40km/hr. On the way, organizers will throw balloons with messages on autism so that people who pick them up will know what this developmental disorder is all about.

Over the years, we have seen people organizing awareness events as cyclathons and marathons. So we thought, why not do something unique? I hope more women will come forward and participate for this car rally because many people think that women can really not be part of such rallies. We are taking baby steps to inclusion and hope the message on autism reaches far and wide- Ruby Singh, Founder, ALFAA

Each car will have a driver along with two to three passengers. You will have to bring your own cars so that you can drive peacefully inside the city. You will also be provided with a route map.

Those who are interested to participate in the car rally can register online for the event. The funds that are raised from the event will go towards ALFAA’s developmental programmes for children with autism. Good news is, almost 25 people have already registered for the event. Students at ALFAA will be flagging off the car rally.

Snigdha Kemkar is a car rally driver, board member of ALFAA and parent of a child with autism. Kemkar is going to be the navigator for the upcoming car rally. The idea of holding a car rally first popped up to Kemkar.

“Unlike all car rallies where it is all about speed, this one will concentrate on time, speed and distance. I have always been an enthusiast car rally driver. Having taken part in many rallies, I know how interesting it is. I do not want to reveal the route that I plan to take for the upcoming rally. But we are going to cover 150 kms to and fro.

Wondering what to do this weekend? Participate in this car rally and show your support for this beautiful cause. The car rally will be flagged off from Indira Nagar club on 16 December at 9 am.

ALSO READ: ALFAA centre for people with autism has a story of remarkable spirit behind it

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