When Soulfree founder, Preethi Srinivasan was asked to wish for anything after she won the prestigious woman achiever award from a leading Tamil television channel earlier in the year, she could have asked for anything. However, her wish was for a spinal-cord injury awareness campaign on the television channel, for the full week from September 5-11, in order to raise awareness amidst the Tamil speaking public about this serious condition.

Please do take a look at the eight videos below and be sure to watch them and share them with everyone in your network, because a spinal-cord injury can happen to anyone at any time, and it does not have any cure till date, causing permanent paralysis below the level of injury. Everyone should know about it, and everyone should take precautions to stop it from happening.

September 5:
IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING – Can a person who is paralysed below the neck, has no use of her fingers at all work full time, run an organisation, be an inspirational speaker, and also be a #cricket #coach? And, can she do it all at the same time? Yes, she can! #Watch #share #inspirational

September 6:
WHAT IS SPINAL CORD INJURY? – Thanks to Pudhiya Thalaimurai, a leading Tamil television channel, and Dr Karthikeyan Ramachandran, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, Soulfree has created a concise educational video that clearly explains what a spinal cord injury is and how to avoid it.

Please do help us spread this important message as path and widest possible so that they can raise awareness amongst the public about this most difficult condition. In order to stop future injuries, we need to raise awareness, because prevention is the only cure and it can happen only by spreading this vital knowledge.

September 7:

CHAMPION SPRINTER – Manoj Kumar was the Number One in Tamil Nadu state in the 200 meter #wheelchair #race. However, he was unable to even participate in national and international Para-athletic events because he could not afford the right wheelchair.
He needed a special T-54 class imported wheelchair that costs in excess of rupees four lakhs to purchase.
With the support of our generous contributors, Soulfree succeeded in getting the wheelchair to Manoj, just ahead of the national para athletic championships held in Rajasthan last year. He ensured that all our efforts to get the wheelchair were fully rewarded, as he became the national gold medallist.
Manoj is sure to make India proud wherever he is given the opportunity to go, purely because he is so hard working and determined to prove himself. We wish that Soulfree grows enough to empower thousands like him, who just need somebody to believe in them.

September 8:

WHAT IS SOULFREE? – A famous quote reads, “Only those who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, actually succeed in doing so!”
Soulfree it’s a crazy dream to ensure that no girl, nobody in #India is forced to commit suicide because of #disability.
It is a big effort by a small group of people to ensure that every person with spinal cord injury in India receives proper medical rehabilitation and reasonable opportunities in education, employment, entrepreneurship and sports, so that they can also fulfil their highest potential.
Please #SHARE and support our work.

September 9:
HAPPY HAPPINESS CONSULTANT – Wilson was undergoing #rehabilitation for his #spinalcordinjury at a leading hospital in Chennai. However, he was depressed and frustrated about his situation. Then he found an interesting article in a newspaper page, that had been used to wrap his lunch!
The article highlighted Soulfree’s work in empowering persons with spinal cord injury and the inspiring life of Preethi Srinivasan, its founder. Wilson was filled with so much excitement and #inspiration, he found the phone number and called it immediately.
Soulfree helped him complete a course in computers, and we also tried our best to help him find gainful employment. It is entirely through his hard work, his tremendous positive energy and determination to become financially independent, he has now become a successful happiness consultant with the6.in, a wonderful company that plans surprises for people. When Wilson started work, they surprised him with a retrofitted scooter, immediately ensuring that he became mobile and absolutely happy!

September 10:
SUCCESSFUL FARMER – Poosari had spent nearly 7 years in a bedridden condition, when he sought support from Soulfree​.
We provided the mobility aids, financial support he needed to start farming. Now, he has leased three acres of land and has grown more than hundred and eight sacks of rice. He is a successful farmer, an independent entrepreneur and a well-respected member of his community.
Apart from the material support, I think the greatest gift we gave Poosari is that we believed in him, we valued him, and gave him the self-belief to work for the fulfilment of his dream. He is a wonderful role model, and Soulfree feels really proud to call him our SUCCESS STORY!
Poosari is a great example, shining proof that the only disability is in the mind. Given the opportunities, persons with spinal cord injury and other wheelchair users can become assets to any community. He has shown us that Soulfree has the ability to transform lives and given us great inspiration to keep striving to do the same for as many others as we can!

September 11:
THE IMPORTANCE OF REHABILITATION – A spinal cord injury can happen to anyone at any time, and it has no cure as of now.
After an injury, the time at the hospital is not enough to teach a person how to live with this tremendously life-altering condition.
Rehabilitation is absolutely essential to give people the confidence and necessary training to become reintegrated into mainstream society.
However, the stark truth is that there are only two or three rehabilitation centres for persons who sustain spinal injury all India, and Absolutely Zero that cater to women specifically.
Soulfree​ aims to team up with Sahai Spine Rehab ​, a truly not-for-profit spinal cord injury rehabilitation centre in Coimbatore, that was established by Dr Thomas Joseph, to establish a long-term inclusive village for persons with spinal cord injury and other severe disabilities.

September 12:
WHY IS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY SO IMPORTANT? – All of us have or will face some kind of physical injury at some point in our lives, and whether we like it or not, we all live in an ageing body.
So, if there comes a time one of us must spend time in a wheelchair, and does that mean that we do not have the right to go anywhere?
Right now in India, most schools, colleges, public buildings, centres for recreation like movie theatres and restaurants, medical laboratories, government buildings are all inaccessible – rudely denying wheelchair users basic rights.
Soulfree dreams of an inclusive India and are starting a wheelchair accessibility campaign EKTA-Uniting With The Positively Abled to ensure that all educational institutions, public buildings, government offices and modes of transport become wheelchair friendly on a mandatory basis. The campaign is being supported in Kerala by The Kerala Students Union led by Eric Stephen.
Please join us by hitting “LIKE” for the @ektacampaign page and #SHAREthis message on your wall for sure. #Tamil #wheelchair #accessibility#awareness #education #mobility #rights