MUMBAI/KARJAT, February 23, 2015 – Morgan Stanley in India, in conjunction with the Helen Keller Institute for the Deaf and Deafblind (HKIDB), today announced the inauguration of the HKIDB Group Home in Karjat, Maharashtra. The Group Home, named Surti’s Skill Development & Rehabilitation Centre, aims to provide hearing and visually impaired children and young adults with accommodation, rehabilitation and vocational training.
Morgan Stanley in India has supported HKIDB for the past two years as its core charity partner. The Firm, as the single largest donor, funded about 45% of the construction of the Karjat Group Home, whose dormitory and lecture hall will be named after Morgan Stanley. The donation was mainly raised by individual contributions from employees through Morgan Stanley’s 2013 and 2014 Annual Charity Walkathons in Mumbai, an annual fund-raising charity walk initiative that the Firm has held for the last seven years.
“HKIDB’s work to provide comprehensive training, therapy and vocational rehabilitation to those with disabilities, aligns with Morgan Stanley’s mission to give back and contribute to the local communities in which we operate,” said Aisha De Sequeira, Co-Country Head and Head of Investment Banking for Morgan Stanley in India.
The vocational training programs scheduled to be launched at the HKIDB Group Home in Karjat include poultry and sheep breeding, and vegetable cultivation and horticulture. HKIDB will have an arrangement with the Government of Maharashtra for ongoing screening and identifying people with disabilities (PwD) for training, under their Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission (MSRLM). In addition, the Karjat Group Home will provide accommodation for orphan students during the three months of summer holidays when the regular HKIDB school in Navi Mumbai is closed.
“Morgan Stanley’s long-established global commitment to children’s health and education is the driving force behind our partnership with HKIDB. Our goal is to bring about positive change in Karjat’s PwD community by providing them with facilities specific to their needs,” said Sanjay Shah, Co-Country Head and Co-Head of Institutional Equities for Morgan Stanley in India.
Morgan Stanley in India has also supported the HKIDB in organizing six-month vocational training programs, including electrical workshops and housekeeping training to make HKIDB trainees more employable. Last year, the Firm donated 20 computers to HKIDB to support them in their new computer training initiative. The Firm’s employees also pay regular visits to HKIDB centers as volunteers to engage with children in a variety of activities.
About Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, investment management and wealth management services. With offices in more than 43 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.
About the Helen Keller Institute for the Deaf and Deafblind (HKIDB)
HKIDB is a premier institute for the education, training and rehabilitation of the Deaf and Deafblind in India as well as the South East Asia region. Its focus on education and training stems from the strong belief that no one is incapable of being taught.
All of its activities are self-sustaining and designed to make the affected independent and instill in them a sense of worth and dignity. Between its headquarter in Byculla (Mumbai) and a state-ofthe-art school in Vashi (New Mumbai), its activities include a printing press, animation studio and the manufacturing of various products such as bags, envelopes, candied dried fruit and costume jewellery.