Prajith Jayapal, a quadriplegic from Kozhikode, is set to launch a start-up for offering free placement assistance to differently abled youngsters in the State with the help of various national and global agencies. The consultancy project, Maargaa, which materialised after long months of research and field studies will be launched by District Collector N. Tej Lohit Reddy on August 30.
Maargaa intends to identify potential talents and equip them to be part of technology-driven workplaces. It will work with local and global companies to create employment opportunities and make workplaces disabled-friendly. It will engage with employers, understand the practices for hiring people with physical limitations, and list suitable jobs. The concept is to emerge as a bridge between the employee and the employer.
“We are also on a mission to help companies draft policies on hiring the differently abled, accessibility, diversity inclusion, workplace practices, equal opportunities, Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR), and research in favour of differently abled job aspirants,” says Mr. Jayapal. The HR teams of companies will be assisted in zeroing in on suitable candidates, recruitment, training, and retention among others.
Mr. Jayapal, who survived a major accident in 2011 and was bedridden till recently, says it is high time the concerns of the differently abled are placed at the centre of any discussion on economy, technology, and well-being. “People with disabilities are a large part of the global population. Their talents are untapped and are significantly under-represented in the work force. We wish to change this situation,” he adds.
No fee
No registration charge or service fee will be collected from applicants. Priority will be given to those having minimal education and struggle to find a livelihood. The companies will be asked to contribute an amount for the expansion of the service. An e-commerce platform by associating with the Department of Social Justice and the District Legal Service Society is also under consideration for the financially backward members.
Mr. Jayapal has been taking up welfare activities and motivational programmes under his Divyang Foundation. He undertook a solo car drive in 2018 from Kozhikode to New Delhi and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to explain the concerns of the differently abled. The 43-year-old is persuading government and non-governmental organisations and employers to adopt a barrier-free environment for the differently abled segments.
