Skip to main content
  • Accessibility
  • Headlines
  • Coronavirus-News
  • Get-Hooked
  • Technology
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Parasports
  • Ask Bhavna
  • NHBrandView
  • Independent Living
  • Lifestyle
  • NH Videos
×
Newz Hook – Changing Attitudes towards Disability Logo
  • Stories
  • Videos
  • Inclusive
  • NH Voice
  • Login
COVID-19 Notification by Government in Accessible Format

Accessibility Tools

Text Size:

Contrast Scheme:

  • C
  • C

Reset

  • Home
  • Employment
  • At Together Foundation youth with disabilities are learning ways to become independent

At Together Foundation youth with disabilities are learning ways to become independent

Employment August 30, 2019
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

As empowered parents to two kids on the autism spectrum, Sangeetha and her husband Chakrapani started the Together Foundation in 2015 along with experts from the fields of medicine and disability. Based out of Mumbai, the centre aims to equip disabled youth with the skills to become self-reliant.

When Sangeetha Chakrapani had quadruplets in 2004, she and her husband V Chakrapani knew they were up for a roller-coaster ride. Raising four kids is not easy and when two of them were diagnosed as being on the spectrum, the couple realised the many challenges that parents and caregivers like them encounter in India.

Today their children have grown up and motivated by their experiences and learnings, the couple started the Together Foundation in Mumbai.

Over time Sangeetha realised that their daughters needed more than just academic knowledge and that led her and Chakrapani to reach out to professionals in the field of medicine and disability to start the foundation in 2015. Today Together Foundation offers workshops and vocational training for youngsters with disabilities like autism, Down syndrome, learning disorders and multiple disabilities.

There are many skills that can be taught to a person with autism to make them independent and self-reliant. Language and communication plays a big role in our programmes. Everybody is capable of doing something. We want to find that out and help them work towards it. – Sangeetha Chakrapani, Founder, Together Foundation.

Enabling many lives

What began as a group of four and a microwave oven for baking cookies has today grown to a team of 22 young adults who earn and learn at a sheltered employment workshop. The bakery is now government- certified unit with commercial sized equipment. There’s even a manufacturing unit for paper plates, block printing on paper bags, labelling work for companies, and a registered shop where the products are sold.

Together Foundation also offers language and communication programs to every student based on their requirements. Students who work in the shop learn to interact with customers and deal with product inquiries. Youngsters who require help with personal communication have a phone progamme that requires them to video call and interact on the phone on a regular basis.

“A child with autism does not always remain a child, he or she grows into an adult and will one day live away from parents”, points out Sangeetha. “Like anyone else, they too will need to keep in touch with family members and interact with them regularly. Hence it is important for them to learn how to communicate with their siblings or relatives who are living far away. With technology catching up, they must learn to use it”.

Shakeela Siddiqui’s 20-year-old son Mouzam Siddiqui joined Together Foundation last October. “He has learned work skills and tips about personal hygiene. Mouzam has also started expressing his feelings and looking at him gives me immense joy”, says Shakeela. This is a marked contrast to his state of mind earlier. “He used to be afraid of everything and did not want to interact with people. The training he received from the centre has changed him a lot. Moreover, he enjoys spending time there”, says Shakeela.

Spreading smiles on the faces of many youngsters and families, the team at Together Foundation of parents, professionals and volunteers have a dream of building a thriving environment for people with disabilities to train, work and achieve.

Contact Together Foundation at +91 70211-84634. Or Email at togethersee@gmail.com

ALSO READ: Inspired by daughter, Shalini Gupta starts the Art Sanctuary for youngsters with disabilities

Watch in Sign Language

Support us to make NewzHook Sustainable – Make a Contribution Today

We need your continued support to enable us work towards Changing Attitudes towards Disability. Help us in our attempt to share the voices of people with disabilities that enable them to participate in the society on an equal footing!

Contribute to Newz Hook

NH Videos

Healing pain through art - Dr. Anubha Mahajan, Founder Chronic Pain India

Contribue to Newz Hook |Disability news. Support us to make NewzHook Sustainable – Make a Contribution Today.

Newsletter

 Subscribe to our Newsletter

Want to feature disability stories or share disability news with the disabled community? Write to:

editor@newzhook.com

Newz Hook - Accessible News

Download App Now!

Videos

View More

Get-hooked

Understanding Spinal Cord Injury- SCI

Get-hooked

11-year-old Tanishq’s culinary skills are a treat to watch on his YouTube channel ‘Wonderfud’

Accessibility

Australian mom’s adaptive bra invention for disabled daughter can help all women dress independently

Get-hooked

#LovePossible - Newlyweds Shilpa & Danish Mahajan are setting serious couple goals

Newz Hook Logo

About Newz Hook

Newz Hook | Disability News - media site focusing on Disability Stories and Changing Attitudes towards Disability globally. We highlight disability news, offer inclusive solutions and create accessible collaborations. Our focus is to have Inclusion Champions from across the globe who will share disability stories and news.
Lets come together to change attitudes towards disability!

Newz Hook is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Follow us on:

Related Links

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Partner with Newz Hook
  • Embed Newz Hook Timeline
  • Affiliate disclosure
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Contribute to Newz Hook

Our Awards

Zero Project Award Winner 2018
Back To Top
© 2019 All Right Reserved. Inclusive News India Private Limited.

Ask Bhavna

All fields are mandatory unless specified as optional.