In the first episode of Awaaz Apna, we introduce the DEAL Foundation and the communities at the heart of its work.

DEAL stands for Disability, Entrepreneurship and Leadership. Based in Gadag district, Karnataka, the Foundation works across 7 taluks and 346 villages, engaging with around 4,000 persons with disabilities and 1,300 women through community-based programmes, self-help groups, livelihood initiatives, financial inclusion, awareness and leadership development.

Many rights, schemes and opportunities already exist on paper, but they only matter when people know about them and understand how to access them. Awaaz Apna was created to bring that information closer to the communities it is meant for — in simple, practical lan ...