KUPWARA, Aug 26: More than 1,000 people with disabilities were provided with a slew of facilities by the Indian Army and a community service group during a six-day joint camp for the empowerment of the specially-abled in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district and adjoining areas.
The Empowerment of People with Disabilities Camp was set up at the Zangli Garrison in Kupwara on August 21-26. The initiative impacted at least 200 people a day, according to Spark Minda Foundation, the community service group.
Assistive devices such as artificial limbs, callipers, crutches and hearing aids, along with the facilitation of Unique Disability ID registration were provided at the camp.
General Officer Commanding (Vajr Division) Major General Girish Kalia said at the closing ceremony that the initiative not just helped people with disabilities in Kupwara but also in adjoining areas, including the Line of Control (LoC).
“This is a great initiative to empower the disabled. We helped several disabled people through this campaign. Not just the people nearby but people from the LoC are also visiting this camp. The collaboration of the Indian Army with Spark Minda Foundation has been able to improve and sustain many lives in the Valley,” Major General Kalia said.
This is the second successive camp organised by the foundation in Kupwara and the third overall in Jammu and Kashmir.
The first camp for people with disabilities was organised in Barmulla in Uri in 2018. The foundation also hosted a 10-day mega camp for people with disabilities in Uttar Pradesh in February.
Spark Minda Foundation Chairperson Sarika Minda said the programme amplified the impact on the lives of people with disabilities in the Union Territory and that around 17,000 people across the country have benefitted from their campaigns since 2013. (AGENCIES)
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