Pune marketing trainer seeks support to empower disabled people through online training during COVID-19

Yogesh Sonar, a Pune-based digital marketing trainer and consultant, has trained many physically disabled people across India and enabled them to become independent. During this lockdown period he wants to reach out to more people and is looking for support.

Yogesh Sonar, a Pune-based digital marketing trainer and consultant, has trained many physically disabled people across India and enabled them to become independent. During this lockdown period he wants to reach out to more people and is looking for support.

A certified digital marketing trainer and consultant, Yogesh Sonar fully understands the challenges of living with a disability. Disabled in one leg due to polio, Yogesh faced many challenges in school and college.

Faced many challenges due to disability

Yogesh persisted despite the odds and did a master’s degree in computer applications and has many certifications in digital marketing. He has trained over 1,000 students as well.

There is a huge demand for digital marketing in every sector of business and I have given corporate training to sales and marketing professionals in the domains of finance, e-commerce, management, healthcare, etc. With my training, even professionals and businessmen across verticals have expanded their businesses successfully. – Yogesh Sonar, Digital marketing trainer/consultant

His goal is to train physically disabled people in need of financial support across India. Yogesh says social media has thrown open huge opportunities for the community. “They can connect with companies all over the world thanks to social media. In my own small way, I would like to empower them, so they don’t face the challenges I did”.

Aims to equip needy disabled with relevant job skills

In his classes Yogesh focuses on current industry trends like social media marketing, Google advertising, YouTube marketing, affiliate marketing, blogging, etc. The wide reach of smartphones makes him confident of being able to reach out to a large number of people. He is also open to training in Marathi, Hindi and English.

Yogesh is looking for more support in this regard and is looking for space in Pune to expand operations. “I want to encourage disabled people to look at social media as an earning opportunity. In this lockdown period people are using the internet and smartphone for time pass. Instead they can acquire useful skills that can help them to earn”.

Among those to have benefitted from Yogesh’s training is Satender* in Bengaluru. Satender has Osteogenesis Imperfects (OI) or brittle bone disease and uses a wheelchair. For years he worked night shifts at a BPO and was unhappy with his salary and lack of progress.

“I reached out to the Indian Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation (IOIF) for help with a new job that would reduce my commute and work hours”, says Satender. The IOIF connected him to Yogesh. Now he works in a reputed IT company. “I work the day shift and earn much more and have weekends off. My life has changed completely”.

Archana Ravindran, Founder, IOIF, says Yogesh’s training has enabled many people with the condition to lead fulfilling lives. “They get different freelance assignments and are able to work from home at their convenience”.

Hyderabad youngster Arjun plans to put the training he received to build his career as a singer. “I lost my legs and an arm as a child when I accidentally touched a live electric wire”. 18-year-old Arjun wants to become a rapper. He has quite a following in his college in Hyderabad and on the Internet. “With the digital marketing training I have received from Yogesh, I aim to become a rockstar”.

Yogesh’s dream is to change the lives of even more needy disabled people around the country by giving them the means to live independently.

GET IN TOUCH: If you are a person with disability and would be interested in learning from Yogesh Sonar, you can reach him at  +91-95954-21670 or yogeshsonar.nmu@gmail.com

*Name changed upon request

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