MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name:

Swatantra (Freedom)

One-line solution summary:

Livelihood and Financial Inclusion of Persons with Disability

Pitch your solution.

GiftAbled is a platform, which capitalizes on $2.1 Billion, Corporate Gifting opportunity to provide livelihood for People with Disability. This has opened up possibilities to provide livelihood opportunity for disadvantaged. Creating market for design inspired, high quality, eco-friendly handcrafted gift items.

Our belief is India’s transformation is dependent on financial inclusion of disadvantaged masses. Moreover, considering jobless growth economy is witnessing, different inclusion models have to be implemented to generate and sustain livelihood. We also have to ensure that such models are location agnostic so an Artisan with Disability can be engaged even in his rural settings instead of him/ her relocating to over congested cities.

India has a bright future if all in the country have a say in its growth. We believe potential of People with Disability should not be overlooked, as they too can contribute towards a strong economy and a healthy society.

What specific problem are you solving?

As per WHO, 15% global population has disability, corresponds to almost a billion people.

India has over 100 million People with Disability. They are the most disadvantaged among the marginalised section of our society. Most of them are dependent on their families or meagre Government doles with hardly 1% of them meaningfully employed. The number of Persons with Disability looking for jobs is way more than the total organised sector jobs in our country. A significant proportion of Persons with Disability, whether affected by Physical or Mental challenges live in semi-urban or rural parts of the country. It is not feasible nor desirable for People with Disability to migrate to over congested cities for opportunities.

The problem, GiftAbled is working on is mass Livelihood Generation and Sustenance for Persons with Disability.

What is your solution?

Gifting merchandise that can be made by People with Disability and disadvantaged for sourcing by Corporate’s to meet their gifting requirement.

GiftAbled identified 5 capabilities required to be successful in this space:

1. Impart Skill- To impart market ready skills to beneficiaries or enhance existing ones.

2. Product/ Merchandise Design- Unique Design and High Quality merchandise is the cornerstone of our vision. Personalised and contemporary merchandise designs, within budget and schedule will help to differentiate, build customer loyalty and future order pipeline.

3. Supply Chain optimisation- To reduce final product cost and build efficiencies of scale model. Aggregating raw material requirement for multiple organisations, sourcing of raw materials and delivery to end customer is manged in-house.

4. Marketing- Socialise the message of sustainable practice of Inclusive procurement (Supply Chain Diversity). Capitalise on digital marketing and offline events to reach out to as many Corporate's as possible. That said we do believe that word of mouth publicity by our happy clients is the surest way to be successful in the long run.

5. Technology- Tech to scale up operationally and support in delivering of work accurately and faster.

This holistic approach towards livelihood creation has laid the foundation for deep impact.

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

GiftAbled believes that if level playing field is created for Persons with Disability that they too can thrive and contribute towards betterment of larger society.

The biggest challenge to achieve above goal is the mindset of larger society. Even in 21st century persons with disability are just considered fit only for charity.

Our goal is to create multiple oasis's of change in different parts of India to depict live examples of Persons with Disability earning their own livelihood.

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Other

Explain how the problem, your solution, and your solution’s target population relate to the Challenge and your selected dimension.

Good Jobs & Inclusive Entrepreneurship

GiftAbled is the right fit for this challenge as we in true sense are creating opportunities for Inclusive Entrepreneurship. Our beneficiaries are mostly persons with disability with limited opportunities. That said, our focus is on the abilities of each and every beneficiary.

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

Bangalore, Karnataka, India

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Growth: An organization with an established product, service, or business model rolled out in one or, ideally, several communities, which is poised for further growth

Who is the primary delegate for your solution?

Prateek Kaul