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 

 

  

LTL Motivational Webinar Series for Visually Challenged UPSC & TNPSC Aspirants

 "The Secret of getting ahead is getting Started "
- Mark Twain.

Simply by thinking and planning alone, one cannot go ahead, we need to take further productive steps.  Hence, Lit the Light is emerging as a new platform to enhance the talents of visually challenged friends. Lit the Light team is initiating Motivational Series through the virtual medium. This Pandemic has affected many lives and impaired the opportunity for many learners and workers. 

Under such a situation, Lit the Light trust is trying its best to support the disabled and visually challenged community in particular morally and in every possible way to the best of its strength. They envisioned the future needs of the Visually challenged and utilized the present quarantine time to overcome their struggle-filled past.

This Pandemic taught everyone to use the virtual medium much effectively. Likewise, Lit the Light is going virtual to educate the visually challenged and other disabled, along with the general audience from all states across India to grab knowledge from great scholarly personalities. 

This motivational series aims to spread the knowledge and experiences of many high-profiled scholars to our society. When they hear directly from those personalities their struggles and strategies to overcome their hardships, it will create a spark for those curious enough to get high scores in UPSC and TNPSC exams. It will render a brighter path for all the aspirants to achieve their goal of getting government jobs.

Lit The Light Motivational Webinar Series - Guest Speakers

Thiru. V. Nandakumar IRS,

AdditionalCommissioner of Income Tax,

Ministry of Finance, Govt. of. India.

Smt. Dr.Pinky Jowel, IAS,

Special Secretary to Govt. of. Tamil Nadu,

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj

 

 

 Dr. Pradeep V. Philip IPS,

 Director General of Police (DGP),

Director -TamilNadu Police Academy (TNPA)

This enlightening journey was embarked on the 20'th of June 2021 by Thiru. V. Nandakumar IRS, Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of. India. The man, recognized for his hard work, motivated our audience, by sharing his experiences. He said, how he started as child labor, worked day and night, and cracked the exams.

Followed by him, Smt. Dr.Pinky Jowel, IAS, Special Secretary to Govt. of. Tamil Nadu, Rural Development, and Panchayat Raj addressed our learners on 4th July 2021. She, an embodiment of positivity gave great hope to our listeners. "Wake up, chase your dreams, Repeat ". Yes, If you failed once, never be give up till you succeed. she cracked her exams,  on her second attempt and she also stated, what and how she learned from her first failure to make her subsequent attempt a success.

Lit the Light's webinar journey continued with, Dr. Pradeep V.Philip IPS, Director General of Police, Director-(TNPA) on 25'th July 2021. He enlightened the speakers by explaining various concepts like EQthinking, Stress management and Be strong Beat weakness, etc.

Every human needs motivation at some point when they feel down. Getting motivated is pretty essential like breathing. By knowing the significance of this, Lit the Light has planned to conduct 2 motivational series every month on the second and last Sunday for our visually challenged aspirants through google meet. we never shut the doors for enthusiastic and curious learners. So even our other friends can also utilize these sessions given by the great literates and experienced scholars, by watching these recorded videos on our youtube page and all our social media pages.

To get enhanced and equipped please do check out our social media pages regularly. Let us expect even more information from our forthcoming sessions and explore ourselves.

If any of you preparing for UPSC and TNPSC competitive exams, please follow our YouTube to watch the informational videos. Best wishes for all the success to the aspirants.

Click on the Links to watch...and please do follow us for future videos...comment to share your opinions and suggestions too:

LTL Motivational Series: 

Series 1 by Thiru. V. Nandakumar IRS - https://youtu.be/ocjq9N_TWqM

Series 2 by Smt. Dr. Pinky Jowel IAS - https://youtu.be/ETs34H2Ob_A

Series 3 by Dr.Pradeep V.Philip IPS - https://youtu.be/tk78rM6u5Sw

UPSC & TNPSC Exam orientation:

Indian Polity on 03.07.2021 by Nandakumar Sir - https://youtu.be/pqV8wEZ64KA

Indian Economy on 10.07.2021 by Nandakumar Sir - https://youtu.be/CsCaHLHSaZI

Indian History on 17.07.2021 by Nandakumar Sir -  https://youtu.be/dhbUuggwzSs

Geography on 24.07.2021 by Nandakumar Sir - https://youtu.be/cErTtzwGg4w

Science & Technology on 31.07.2021 by Nandakumar Sir - https://youtu.be/LQDja8vwoRw

Lit the Light appreciates continued support for the cause. If interested in donating for our grocery kit drive or if you or any of your known visually challenged ones need any support, please contact us on...

• @Website: www.litthelight.org                                    
• @Email: admin@litthelight.org
• @Facebook: Lit the Light
• @YouTube: LTL Visions

Grocery Kit Drive - Lit the Light - Phase 2

 

“Three keys to more abundant living: caring about others, daring for others, sharing with others.”

                                                                 By - William Arthur Ward 

Lit the Light, along with the support from the sponsors, volunteers, and the community made this grocery kit drive continue. We are much obliged to all the support we receive. This pandemic situation has taught us all many valuable lessons and most of all the value of humankind. Lit the Light is working towards the motto, no human, particularly the underprivileged disabled and the visually don't go hungry. Our mission is to support in every possible way we can, with all the sponsorship we collect. We acknowledge and salute with every effort by our dedicated volunteer's commitment to organize and support. Our sponsors deserve a special appreciation for their trust in Lit the Light and will promise to live up to it ahead. 

Here's Siva - A multi talented volunteer of Lit the Light

 

Hello All,

Here we are again with our next testimony...

Welcome to Lit the Light's Coordinator aka Leads Blog Series. Today we want to present the testimony of our coordinator “Mr. Sivakanan (aka) Siva” sharing his experience and moments as a Scribe Coordinator 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 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 Siva, a dedicated Scribe Coordinator, supporting us as a valuable volunteer lead for our Scribe team.
 
Lit the Light's Scribe Coordinator Sivakanan’s words on his travel with Lit the Light…

“Sivakanan’s stand-up comedy during the New Year celebration lights up the room with laughter and cheer !”

1.  Tell us a little bit about yourself? 

Hey, I’m Sivakanan, a scribe coordinator at Lit the Light. I’m a Cybersecurity specialist and a team leader at Accenture and have been working there for nearly 10 years. I also do training for college students and do stand-up comedy on the side!

 

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

I found out about Lit the Light through Social Media and decided to give it a shot. I’ve been volunteering here as a coordinator for the past three years and have never felt more content and happier. I helped organize the 2018 Read Fest at Presidency college and became the scribe coordinator in 2019. My heart is full of gratitude and solemn joy just being able to make a difference in someone’s life in a small way. I was also able to develop my leadership skills and learned to work in a team environment.

 

 

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

Sometimes one can forget how securing one job can completely change a visually impaired individual’s life and can be a big transformation for their family. Being able to be a small part of their journey and transformation is truly an amazing feeling.

 

4.   What is your most memorable experience volunteering here?

One of the most memorable experiences, I have had volunteering for LTL is doing stand-up comedy at the 2020 New Year Celebration. Watching them forget about their troubles for a few minutes and laugh until their stomachs hurt warmed my heart, I will never forget that moment. I also received a braille award at 2018 Read fest and was overwhelmed with emotions. The LTL team has always been supportive and appreciative of its volunteers.

 

5.  Do you have any messages for anyone who wants to join us at LTL?

I’d like to say that feeling that slight hesitation and fear before deciding to volunteer is completely natural. However, overcoming that doubt and making that first step to help those in need can actually make a big difference in someone else’s life. At the end of the day, you will realize that you have not only made a difference in someone else’s life but yours too. It’s all about taking that small step, good luck!

 

Lit the Light thanks Siva 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 announce that Siva is one of the indispensable backbones of our organization and a role model for many other volunteers. Thanks again Sivakanan, for your time...your attitude to keep others happy around you with your sense…support…and most of all, for being part of Lit the Light’s Team.

Compiled by Nandita Vaidyanathan, LTL Volunteer 

 

 

Three more feathers in the hat of Lit the Light Career Wing Team

 

“Achieve your goal with true spirits"

The success story of Sudarshan

Mr. Sudarshan is a true achiever of goals amidst challenges. Right after graduation, Sudarshan acquired a job that required working on the computer for more than 17 hours a day. He pulled on until 2017 when it took a toll on his retina, he had to give up his well-paid job and focus on retrieving his eyesight. He was initially perturbed about his condition but with encouragement from friends and family, he was able to find a way out of the dark tunnel. He says it’s a Himalayan effort to learn accounting through a process using Text Reader. He was enthusiastic to venture into the new world. He is indebted to Lit the Light career wing team as he was offered an Accounting Consultant job at FINT solutions Pvt. Ltd. through their continued support. He is extremely happy with his current working environment and the appreciation he receives from his team as a trendsetter in this field of accounting in an MNC and his achievement would be to march forward to lead the future generation with Visual Challenges.

The success story of Ashok Kumar

Mr. Ashok Kumar is an inspiration to lead and take control of life. He hails from a town village near Madurai and lost vision in an accident at the age of 8. He took Braille training for 2 years and completed his basic education in Madurai. He was supported by his grandmother who had economic challenges, but she managed to provide good education and a secure home to him. He completed his graduation in English from Presidency college Chennai and Post-graduation from Pondicherry. He was identified and supported by the Lit the Light career wing as a self-motivated young communicator. His good knowledge in both English and Tamil writing along with excellent computer skills elevated his position as a blogger, coding expert, and web designer. He is appreciated as a quick learner, smart worker with excellent management skills. Beehive Communication Club recognized his talent and offered him a job in the Communications Department where he confidently handles FAQs of students who wish to join the course and guides them to register. His excellent academic background and quick access to computers are add-on skills to his profession. He is extremely happy with his team who eagerly assist him when he has to fill in Google Sheets concerning payment of fees and other finance-related forms. He is comfortable working on the laptop with various computer languages he learned during the initial years to struggle to thrive in a world full of colors. His experiential learning through E-text and his confidence to win is the formula for his success.

The success story of Balapriya

Ms. Balapriya is a ‘Go Getter’ she has different challenges to handle both physically and visually [partially] she survived the whole with complete support from her family members. Hailing from a town like Dindigul she has explored the world around her with a dynamic approach. She has actively participated in extension activities like NSS and village placement programs in her college.  She is a postgraduate in English and a professionally qualified teacher.  She is also a confident team player, adaptive to changes as a leader. With her excellent speech and writing background, she utilized the opportunity to associate herself with the Lit the Light Career Wing Team. She was successfully placed as a Tele Caller and Admin of BCC at Beehive Communication Club. She is involved full-fledged with spreading the news about her institution through her sophisticated English communication skills. She is thankful to the Lit the light team, family, and friends for the support and guidance to secure a job she enjoys.

Beehive, a hive of pulsating young minds who work together to create reverberations in the field of soft skills training. Our team appreciates them for offering opportunities to the talented to grow and to expand.

Our Sincere Thanks to Beehive Communication Club and FINT Solutions Pvt. Ltd. for Inclusive hiring Visually Challenged Talents

Volunteering can be Virtual Too - Audio Books...Record and help them Learn

Hello All,

Once again...Welcome to Lit the Light's Coordinator aka Leads Blog Series. Today we want to present the testimony of our coordinator “Mrs. Bhahirathi (aka) Rathi” sharing her experience and moments with Lit the Light in simple words.  She is here to express herself on "What?... How?... Why?... and few more questions on dedicating her time, volunteering with Lit the Light"…in her 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 Rathi, a dedicated Audio Book recording coordinator, supporting us as a valuable team lead for our Bahrain recording team.
 
Lit the Light's Coordinator Rathi’s words on travel with us…

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself? 

Hi, I’m Bahirathi, a senior HR officer at Rahim Holdings in Bahrain. I moved to Bahrain when I was 20 years old to stay with my mother and have settled here ever since. I’m now happily married to my husband and have a 6-year-old son. I don’t have much time to pursue my hobbies after marriage but I do enjoy reading a lot!

 

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

Right from school, I was always a part of volunteering programs. I was raised by a single mother, so I know how difficult it is to not have something. When I moved to Bahrain, I felt like people labeled NRI citizens as financial support and I didn’t like the identity that people put on me. So apart from financial support, I started findings ways to support people even though I lived far away. I saw a Facebook post about Lit the Light and started helping them out with recording audios for the visually challenged, but over time I felt a level of satisfaction and a drive to do more grow in me. I still remember a college-going student who I had helped out for 6 years who now has a senior managerial role in a Bank!

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

Through Lit the Light I was able to make beautiful friendships and bonds with people I have never physically met before. To continue to support these students, I expanded my role by finding like-minded people in Bahrain and created a team of 30 people. I am amazed by the help and support we receive from the senior citizens who are a part of our team. When you give them an assignment, they finish it even a day before the deadline. I was able to learn disciple and how to handle commitments from my team members. We have a 60-year-old couple on our team who record and scribe for students to this day. Their son even equipped them with the necessary equipment for them to record audiobooks comfortably! Lit the Light is very close to my heart and I enjoy being part of a positive circle of people who support and appreciate each other.

4.  What is your most memorable experience volunteering here? 

I am able to make a difference in somebody’s life without knowing what they look like; they don’t know me, I don’t know them but through this medium, I feel like I can completely feel another soul. We create a face, an identity just like how the students create one as they listen to our audio. It’s like supporting them through their own way of living and I think that’s beautiful. These students live in different corners of the world, but when they send me and my family members voice messages wishing us on festive days, I somehow feel a deeper connection just by listening to their voice notes.

5. Do you have any message for anyone who wants to join us at LTL? 

My message is simple. If you just have the right intention, you can support another in so many different ways. People assume that just because they don’t have the money or the time to help they can’t make a difference, but they don’t realize that there are so many different ways to help. If you can’t record a book, you can scan it. If you can’t scan a book, you can scribe. If a person who is miles across can do it, so can you! If you put one positive act out into the universe, I believe it’ll give back to you in ten folds. However, It’s not only about getting anything back, it’s the fact that I’m able to give back something so positive among all the disasters and bad things that are happening in the world. I am so grateful for being a part of Lit the Light and being able to do something that has added so much value to my life.

Lit the Light thanks Rathi and appreciates her for her 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 Rathi is one of the indispensable backbones of our organization and a role model for many other volunteers. Thanks again Rathi, for your time…support…and most of all, for being part of Lit the Light’s Team.

Compiled by Nandita Vaidyanathan, LTL Volunteer