Disabled Individuals IT Capacity Building Livings

Introduction

We would like to thank all our supporters and potential donors who continue to show interest in the “Disabled Individuals IT Capacity Building for Livelihoods” initiative. The core vision of this project is to empower persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Pakistan with marketable digital and IT skills, helping them achieve independent livelihoods and long-term social inclusion.

Project Status Update

As of this reporting period, the implementation of the project has faced delays due to limited incoming donations and funding constraints. While our team remains committed to launching the full training cycle as originally envisioned, the lack of sufficient resources has made it difficult to begin formal sessions and procure essential equipment such as laptops, internet access tools, and assistive technologies for enrolled participants.

Challenges Encountered

• Funding Gap: As of June 2025, we have not yet met the minimum financial threshold to launch our first cohort. This includes costs for trainers, accessible training tools, transportation support for disabled participants, and venue utilities.

• Participant Waiting List: We currently have over 40 interested and pre-registered individuals with disabilities, many of whom are eager to begin learning basic and intermediate digital skills but are waiting for program activation.

• Assistive Devices Pending Procurement: Our plan to provide screen readers, voice-to-text software, and ergonomic tools for differently-abled learners remains in limbo due to a shortage of dedicated funds.

What We’ve Achieved So Far

Despite delays, we have made foundational progress:

• Outreach Completed in 3 districts of northern Sindh and Islamabad, identifying potential participants.

• Designed a customized IT curriculum for beginners, including modules in digital literacy, online freelancing, basic MS Office, and accessible web design.

• Partnership discussions underway with local vocational centers and disability organizations to co-host the first training when funds are secured.

Next Steps

1. Secure Core Funding: We aim to raise a minimum of $4,500 USD to kick-start the first phase of training for 20–25 participants.

2. Implement First Training Batch: Conduct 8-week hybrid sessions (in-person and virtual) with trained instructors and accessibility support.

3. Job Matching & Freelance Guidance: Post-training, we plan to assist participants in identifying freelance, remote, or micro-enterprise opportunities.

4. Publish Impact Stories: We will begin collecting and sharing testimonials from enrolled participants once training begins to increase campaign visibility and donor engagement.

Call to Action

We kindly ask our supporters and the GlobalGiving community to help us turn this important initiative into a reality. Your donation, no matter the size, directly supports a person with a disability to gain digital independence and employment potential.

Help us move from delayed to delivered — one life-changing skill at a time.