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Fellowship platform

Soapstone Fellowship

Human capital for the disability sector

Soapstones are durable and can be carved easily. We believe these are just the qualities anyone working in the disability sector should possess!

The Soapstone Fellowship is a full-time program that offers participants a deeper understanding of the livelihoods of persons with disabilities, while leveraging their subject matter expertise to benefit the sector. This is our commitment to shaping skilled human capital for the sector’s growth.

Our approach to providing
fellows with ample opportunities to:

Fellow lighting ceremonial lamp on stage during Soapstone Fellowship inauguration

1

Discover

the key success factors for advancing disability livelihoods.

Soapstone Fellow presenting to an audience with sign language interpreter on stage

2

Develop

self-awareness and resilience to scale disability livelihoods using human-centred design principles.

Fellow in red kurta presenting tools and ideas to participants during Soapstone Fellowship

3

Demonstrate

various tools to build trust, co-create solutions, and maximise value with stakeholders.

Group of seventeen people, including two women in wheelchairs, posing around a table full of terracotta pottery.

A peek into our cohorts!

The first Soapstone Fellowship cohort had 15 participants from 10 states, including 10 persons with disabilities (Cerebral Palsy, Spinal Cord Injury, Vision Impairment, Multiple Sclerosis, Physical Disability, Crohn’s Disease, and Mental Illness). They brought diverse educational backgrounds (Social Work, Psychology, Journalism, Aerospace Engineering) and a range of experience levels, from freshers to professionals with 20+ years of experience. This diverse and vibrant group leveraged their expertise and lived experiences to advance the disability sector.
Large group of adults posing with a "SOAPSTONE" sign and a target-maze logo.

A peek into our cohorts!

The second Fellowship cohort focused on Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, with eight participants from five states. It included 6 Deaf and two hard-of-hearing members with diverse backgrounds in Special Education, Fine Arts, and Indian Sign Language Teaching. This enthusiastic group, ranging from freshers to those with work experience, leveraged their lived experiences and allyship to contribute to the Deaf community and the disability sector.
Group of men and women on a stage, posing behind a large "SOAPSTONE FELLOWSHIP" sign.

A peek into our cohorts!

The Rural Soapstone Fellowship aims to develop disability professionals in rural India, creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities. The cohort has 24 participants from 10 states and one Union Territory, including people with and without disabilities. Over 12 months, fellows undergo training and field engagement for six months each.
Group of twenty-one adults and one child in a classroom, with many making a hand gesture.

A peek into our cohorts!

The 4th Fellowship cohort brought together 9 Deaf and 1 hard of hearing participants from 7 states. They had diverse professional backgrounds — from business development and Indian Sign Language teaching to research, IT etc. with a range of working experiences, from fresh graduates to professionals with over 4 years of working experience. Through a rich mix of activities like training sessions, workshops, internships, projects etc. fellows expanded their horizons and built leadership skills.

55

Soapstone Fellows

08

Disability Types

Impact Story

Akula Kumar, from Gollapalle village in Andhra Pradesh, has defied the odds of vision impairment since birth. After completing Class 12, Kumar’s life changed when he met T. Mallikarjun, a GarvSe Officer and advocate for persons with disabilities (PwDs). Mallikarjun, supported by EnAble India’s Rural Livelihood Mission, empowered Kumar by recommending him for the Margadarshi workshop, an initiative to guide PwDs toward economic independence.

 

Through this workshop, Kumar joined a 10-day Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP), gaining vital business skills and confidence. Inspired, he launched a vegetable and coconut business, earning ₹15,000 monthly. His success transformed his family’s future, even enabling his mother to open her own petty shop.

Akula Kumar, a man in a wheelchair, smiling and holding a trophy above his head in an event hall.
Akula Kumar