Diverse Customer Shoutout: A Courier Service and a Restaurant run by Hearing and Speech-Impaired Employees

"This is heartening given that India lags behind many countries in the progressive development of this demographic because of the underdeveloped infrastructure across much of this vast country and cultural preconception regarding disabilities in the country's highly competitive employment landscape

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Dhruv Lakra of Mirakle Couriers 
and,

                                                                       Mirchi and Mime, Powai, Mumbai


Nearly 6% of Indians suffer from some form of hearing disability and 66% of those are unemployed. They are not ‘disabled’, but just 'differently abled'. Creating employment and identity for the previously sidelined deaf promises to be one of the most influential social initiative to impact the neglected. Mirakle Couriers, the courier company in Mumbai, India operates with hearing impaired employees and the voiceless people are given a voice in the naturally unequal society. The organization has more than 70 deaf employees who successfully deliver more than 65000 shipments per month just conversing through sign language. The delivery boys rely on public transport and use mobile phone technology support. In the absence of the spoken word, text messages have proved to be Mirakle’s lifeline. It’s through SMSes that the staff effectively communicates and tracks deliveries. They are on a mission to exploit the true potential of these people by providing a competitive environment so that there is a copious improvement in their confidence. The key is to eliminate negative reinforcement that would have got imposed on them throughout their lifespan. The team is led by Dhruv Lakra :Dhruv Lakra has also been awarded with National Award for the Empowerment of People with Disabilities and Hellen Keller Award.

*Content Credit Dhruv Lakra of Mirakle Couriers : Venkatraman Venkitachalam

Mirchi and Mime, founded by Henley School of Business graduates, Prashant Issar and Anuj Shah. Drawing inspiration from "Signs", a Toronto-based bistro which functions on a concept of hiring differently-abled people, Issar and Shah set up the restaurant in Mumbai, India.