ISLAMABAD (PRESS RELEASE)
Being differently abled should not stop a person from achieving their life goals. Encouragement, support and opportunities are more important for people with special needs. The good news is that organizations that are true responsible corporate citizens are paving the way for people with disabilities to join the workforce and contribute their best towards the organizational and as national development.
One example here is Telenor Pakistan’s ‘Open Mind Program’. Launched in 2013, the program aims at social inclusion of People with Disabilities (PwDs). It is a comprehensive trainee program that enhances the employability of PwDs through rigorous skill development, mentoring and on the job training.
“I developed a disability after my intermediate studies due to typhoid,” shares Amber Rashid, an Open Mind trainee in HR Operations. “While I was volunteering at STEP International, I learned about Telenor’s Open Mind Program and applied immediately. I was inducted into the program in 2019 and it has been a great learning experience so far. The teams and management are extremely supportive and the continuous coaching and mentoring is helping me build a stronger professional profile. In addition to the company’s policies, benefits and facilities for women and the workplace environment is highly inclusive of females and people with special needs.” she adds.
Amber Rashid is an inspiration as she never lost hope and didn’t let her disability come in the way of achieving greater things in life. “I never gave up on life and continued my education by earning my Master’s degree in Islamic Studies and Law, getting a diploma in Library Sciences and an IT course in graphic design.” Amber shares. “I thank Telenor Pakistan for giving me this amazing opportunity and making me realize that my physical disability can never keep me from playing my active role in the society,” she adds.
The Open Mind Pakistan traineeship is a stepping stone for PwDs to succeed and prove their merit in the corporate world. Since its initiation, Open Mind Pakistan has broken barriers and enabled people with special needs to polish their skills with on job training and mentoring. Under the program, there have been over 80 trainees who have been a part of the program till date and out of these, over 70% have been hired in various organizations nationwide.
