Dreams do come true...with support and efforts

"If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day... If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime"

Lighting up lives with hope... 

Bunk shop success story of Mr. Solomon Gnanamoorthy, our Visually Challenged friend.

We have often heard of this phrase but how often do we ever practice it? We are proud to say at Lit the Light, we have been trying our best to help empower visually challenged beneficiaries with the right opportunities and skill development necessary for their career growth and self-improvement.  Our latest initiative helped Gnanamoorthy run his own bunk shop and wade through these difficult pandemic times with hope.  Here is the story of our Gnanamoorthy, who in his 45years of life believes this is the best way to help out our differently-abled brethren. 

Our Gnanamoorthy has been through many ups and downs in his life.  But he never gave up on the opportunities that came his way.  He has completed his studies only up to the 10th standard, he is very proficient in English, has excellent computer and communication skills and also knowledgable on various subject matters.  He was a hawker at local trains selling stationaries. He has work experience as a PCO booth manager and was an office worker for 13years.  As technology improved, PCO booths became obsolete and he had to shut down his shop and had to face his share of misfortunes.

As the pandemic worsened, he could no longer travel long distances, hence could no longer continue with his work.  But he never gave up, despite the hurdles he faced, he has always managed to maintain a positive outlook on life and is always ready to take up any challenge and work his best.  All he needed was a little help, a little push to keep him going.  And that's when Lit the Light offered him support to open up his own small business..." his very own bunk shop "

Gnanamoorthy is quite aware of the various opportunities that NGOs like Lit the Light can bring for the differently-abled like him. He reached out to our founder, Barath, and stated his need to ask not for regular monetary help but a way to empower himself.  His positive attitude and determination impressed our team and we were able to successfully complete the fundraiser and sponsored the bunk shop along with the initial product stock.  The bunk shop was inaugurated virtually on the 1st of August, 2021, and has been running successfully for the past month.  

Gnanamoorthy is managing the shop with the help of his family.  While NGOs have given monetary help, it is his own effort and his family's support that has enabled him to run the business.  While the business is slowly picking up, Gnanamoorthy says he is still learning the ropes of the business and hopes it becomes more successful.  His advice for fellow achievers is to keep looking for opportunities that align with their interests and look to develop their skills.  He believes it will be more useful if instead of sponsoring rive every month if differently-abled were shown the ways to earn it by themselves.  And Lit the Light is both proud and happy to have helped him find a way through our initiative. 

However, we could not have done this without the help from our sponsors 'Madras Esplanade Round Table 30' and 'Madras Esplanade ladies circle 100' and we'd like to offer our gratitude to them for their aid. 

Mr. Solomon Gnanamoorthy is a man with strong will and commitment and acts as an example to those who lack the determination to chase their dreams!

Bunk Shop Inauguration Video link: https://youtu.be/NBhzH1aKdMo

Azeesh Rahman - Lit the Light's Pride

Some people place value on power and things. Our greatest asset is people like you..."Our Volunteers"

Hello All,

Welcome to Lit the Light's Coordinator aka Leads Blog Series. Today we want to present the testimony of our coordinator “Mr. Azeesh Rahman aka Azeesh” sharing his experience and moments with Lit the Light in simple words.  He is here to express himself on "What?... How?... Why?... and few more questions on dedicating his time, volunteering from a very young age with Lit the Light"…in his own words.

These testimonies are considered as an assessment of Lit the Light’s performance and work on improvement suggestions (if any) from our Leads, who have been part of us during our ups and downs. To continue with... Here's our Azeesh, a dedicated event coordinator, Scribe coordinator, and many other ways...or in every possible way. He is an indispensable volunteer for Lit the Light, and we appreciate all his support and efforts.

Lit the Light's Coordinator Azeesh’s words on travel with us…

 

 

 

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hi, I’m Azeesh Rahman! I just completed my MA in Development Studies at IIT Madras. I enjoy music, mimicry, voice acting, and being an RJ. I founded ‘Meet for Thought’ a Youtube channel and an Instagram page dedicated to shifting judgments into curious questions about the visually impaired whilst creating awareness about them. Come join us and check us out on Instagram @/meetforthought and build a healthy society.

 

2. How did you hear about LTL and why did you decide to start volunteering here?

In 2016, when I held the All India Rank for the IIT HSEE entrance exam I was interviewed by a volunteer from Lit the Light, that’s when I heard about the organization. I was really intrigued by their goals and values and decided to immediately join the LTL meeting. That’s when I was introduced to many of the volunteers and they liked the energy and enthusiasm I brought to the table and wanted me to also be a part of the organization. Ever since LTL has been a very important part of my life. I enjoy emceeing and hosting the programs we conduct at LTL. I also started the LTL Career Wing along with the other volunteers to provide career assistance and more job placements for the Visually Challenged.

 

3. What aspects of being a volunteer do you like the most?

It’s so inspiring to be surrounded by supportive and good-spirited volunteers and working along with them makes me genuinely happy. Plus, seeing the sheer determination of the visually impaired who strive to study hard and do their best to support their families is something I will always carry in my heart. 

 

4.  What is your most memorable experience volunteering here?

In 2018, I worked with an audiobook team to coordinate for college exams. We tried something new called ‘on-call reading’, wherein instead of physically going to an exam hall and reading for the students, you can read through a phone call. The idea worked out really well and we had such a great time coordinating. The two months went by in a flash! 

 

5. Do you have any messages for anyone who wants to volunteer with LTL?

However clueless you might feel before volunteering, I’d say just give it a shot. You might have your doubts when it comes to having the time or the resources to really make a difference but you need to realize that even the two minutes that you devote to helping them can make a huge difference. Just come join us, you will end up loving it.

 

 Lit the Light thanks Azeesh and appreciates him for his time and support for the upliftment of the Visually Challenged community in every possible way... Lit the Light takes the opportunity, rather proud to brag that Azeesh is one of the indispensable backbones of our organization and a role model for many other volunteers. Thanks again Azeesh, for your time…support…and most of all, for being part of Lit the Light’s Team.

Compiled by Nandita Vaidyanathan, LTL Volunteer