ALSphere Foundation
ALS Art & Literary magazine successfully completes its one year of publishing. It has been an enriching journey for me as I covered the People of Determination (Special Needs community) segment in the magazine. I salute this initiative of Asian Literary Society, as through this platform, I was able to touch base with the experts in the field and get to know the nuances of the community.
It was wonderful to cover the perspectives of a parent, the head of a special needs centre, a creative head, a psychologist, an entrepreneur who has plans to open an academy exclusively for the well-being and for providing opportunities to this community, and also as a parent who extensively works to bring awareness about them in the society and bridge the gap. All the stake holders who contributed to this magazine have sent congratulatory messages to the Asian Literary Society.
Fionika Sanghvi heads SPJ Sadhana school for special needs in Mumbai. Her article was published in the July 2022 issue, titled “Advocating for Special needs”. She says, “The POD segment of ALS is a sign of inclusion for the special needs. Inclusion into mainstream society for people of determination has always been a struggle. Acceptance of these beings, acknowledging their strengths and alertness of their needs is required for the readers to know that no person is wasted on earth. Sharing best practises and experiences and real-life stories on this platform can be an eye opener for many as well as an opportunity for the special needs who may find some reader who may give them a hand in employment or treatment or education. ALS magazine has offered to create a niche in their magazine for the special needs. It shows they care. I wish them all the success.”
Rahima Amirally who works in the creative field for people of determination said,” I am so honoured to be a part of the ALS community. My article, “All the world’s a stage,” published in the August edition, gave an insight into the possibilities and opportunities for this special community in the field of performing arts. It highlights our determination as educators, parents, and supporters of our beautiful stars of determination in a warm manner. I was particularly happy to have my story covered, regarding how I started the program. Thank you for sharing my dream and vision of creating program for our stars. I hope to continue to contribute to this endeavour in a meaningful way.”
Zeba Hashmi, a parent of a person with special needs, contributed to the September issue of the magazine and her article, “Treading upon a different path” was inspirational. She says, “ALSphere magazine is, in true sense, an inclusive magazine which covers all the verticals of ALSphere foundation. The vision of having POD section in the magazine and relentlessly working towards it for monthly publication is worth appreciating and all the articles give us wider knowledge and great insights. The May edition has covered the Parwaaz event as well as we have insightful interviews of some of the most experienced people working in this field. Best wishes to all the stakeholders.”
Kashmira Vazifdar is a psychologist, and she congratulates the entire team at ALSphere Art and Literary magazine. “I think the very title of the section ‘People of Determination‘ is inspirational and encouraging. Persons with special needs and their families show true grit and determination throughout their lives. I felt truly privileged to make a miniscule contribution to this section through my views and experiences with persons with special needs. I hope my article titled “Peer relationships,” which appeared in the November edition, was able to throw some light on the social and emotional needs of this population. It is only through sharing of views, ideas, and issues that we can create an informed and educated society that supports as well as learns from persons with special needs.”
Gayathri Shankara, the Founder of Creative Galaxy, has applauded the initiative of Asian Literary society in keeping a section exclusively for the special needs community. She wishes them all the best.
I wish ALS all the very best in its endeavour to support the special needs community, by creating awareness about the challenges faced by them along with means to overcome them, to make their journey smoother.
Nisha Tandon
