A day of signs, supplies, and support

Tanisha Raghuwanshi, the secretary of the Rotaract Club of Meghdoot Symbiosis, RID 3040, stood nervously in front of a group of girls at the Anand Service Society, Indore, clumsily attempting to communicate in sign language. Guided by Monica Purohit, the co-founder of the society, Tanisha slowly formed the gestures for her name. “One girl had a broad smile on her face and excitedly signed back revealing that her name was also Tanisha. I smiled with relief and the ice broke. My earnest attempt at communicating with them was accepted,” she smiles.

The club organised a sanitary pad donation drive at the Anand Service Society, an institution dedicated to empowering deaf and speech-impaired individuals. Established in 2000 by Gyanendra and Monica Purohit in memory of Gyanendra’s late brother who was also deaf and speech-impaired.

“Over the years, it has helped more than 25,000 individuals gain skills and enabled over 5,000 to lead independent lives. The society operates residential centres in Indore and remote areas like Dhar and Alirajpur, providing refuge and resources for girls rescued from child labour, domestic violence, and a few girls are rape victims,” she says, and adds that “its work extends to running a helpline for the deaf and speech-impaired in collaboration with the Tukoganj police station in Indore.”

The club distributed sanitary pads, sugar, wheat, clothes, and oil worth ₹5,000 to inmates at the Anand Society. The initiative also included a menstrual awareness session where Rotaractors discussed the importance of seeking medical advice for irregular cycles, severe pain, or other health issues. A list of medical helpline numbers was shared to ensure the girls had access to continued support.

Not only was this an opportunity to provide material support but we also gained insight into the unique challenges faced by differently-abled individuals.
– Tanisha Raghuwanshi, Club Secretary

“Communication was our main challenge,” says Tanisha but “Monica madam introduced us to basic sign language, allowing us to communicate directly with the girls. Learning sign language not only bridged communication gaps but also highlighted the broader principles of diversity, equity and inclusion for us. Trying to communicate in the girls’ primary language, we understood the importance of creating spaces where everyone feels seen and heard.”

“Not only was this an opportunity to provide material support but we also gained insight into the unique challenges faced by differently-abled individuals,” she says. “This was more than a donation drive. It was an opportunity to create meaningful connections and promote inclusivity.”

Last year, the club collaborated with the Rotaract Club of Indore Young Leaders for a similar project.