"LODGE FELLOWSHIP IT SKILLS CENTER FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED" was set up next to our existing project “LODGE FELLOWSHIP LAB FOR THE HEARING and SPEECH IMPAIRED” at the "Umang" School for Hearing and Speech Impaired children.

The project was inaugurated by M. W. The Grand Master of The Grand Lodge of India, M.W. Bro. Justice Devinder Gupta, OSM in the presence of R.W. Bro. Zawareh H. Wadia, R.W. The Dy. R.G.M. of R.G.L. of W.I. and W. Bro. Tushar Zaveri, ARGM and a host of brethren from various parts of the country. The event was widely covered by the Press and Media and the inauguration was telecast on DD News the same evening. The total cost of the project is approx. Rs. 3.50 lacs.

The sole purpose of setting up this project was :

1. Hearing and Speech Impaired are not accepted by the general society
2. Hearing and Speech impaired are financially dependant on their parents as they do not get jobs
3. Hearing and Speech Impaired do not get adequate facilities to hone their skills
4. Hearing and Speech Impaired are still considered as a burden on society by the general public
5. There are no Computer Institutes which are willing to impart I.T. Education to Hearing Impaired.

Every child suffering from a disability has certain skills which need to be nurtured in the right direction and help them in achieving their ambitions. They need to be properly trained to develop the skills so that they can mingle with the ‘better enabled’ as also become independent, in the sense, that they can earn a livelihood and are not considered as a burden on anybody.

The "LODGE FELLOWSHIP IT SKILLS CENTER FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED" will serve such children and adults and enable them to realize their dreams. This project, too, like the other projects of Lodge Fellowship, will serve the differently enabled for years to come and will prove to be another sustainable project.

After the inauguration the visitors had a glimpse of the beautiful Power point presentations made by the Hearing and Speech Impaired children who had expressed their thoughts in these presentations.

For the benefit of the press and media persons, M.W. The Grand Master gave an elaborate account of Freemasonry and the various charitable projects undertaken by The Grand Lodge of India throughout the length and breadth of the country. He particularly, emphasized the wonderful projects set up by Lodge Fellowship in Ahmedabad. The question – answer session with the media continued for nearly an hour and the interview and inauguration was telecast by DD News the same evening and reported by the press the next morning.

After having experienced the uniqueness of the project undertaken by Lodge Fellowship, in an unprecedented and generous move, M.W. The Grand Master announced a contribution of Rs. 50,000/= from The Grand Master’s Rupee Club to Lodge Fellowship for completing the “LODGE FELLOWSHIP IT SKILLS CENTER FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED”. A number of brethren from other regions and sister constitutions also announced their personal contribution to this noble cause undertaken by the brethren of Lodge Fellowship. The Regional Grand Lodge of W.I. has contributed Rs. 52,500/= for this project.