KATHMANDU, Aug 4: Young Nepali siblings Kanchan and Jenish Amatya have won the Pitch Pit Challenge at the 2015 Special Olympics Impact Summit Award held from July 23 to 28 in the US. The challenge awards them grants for their project in Nepal.
Kanchan, a student at University of Oklahoma, and Jenish, studying at Wheaton College in Massachusetts, will be mentored by Hollywood actress and supermodel Brooklyn Decker who is the Global Ambassador for Special Olympics.Their project plan is to open a vocational training community center for children and youth with intellectual disability, which will provide vocational therapy and job placement to youth above 16 years of age, and an expanded daycare space for children in Nepal. For the project, the siblings have teamed up with Special School for Disabled and Rehabilitation Center (SSDRC) in Old Sinamangal so that they have better reach to underprivileged children and youth with special needs.
The Special Olympics Impact Summit was a platform for 120 youth leaders from 30 countries. The duo's project was among the 65 projects that were shortlisted from around the world.
The panel for the Pitch Pit included Brooklyn Decker, CEO of Coca-Cola Muhtar Kent, Chairman of Special Olympics Timothy Shriver, NBA All Star Dikembe Mutombo, actress Vanessa Williams, and Special Athlete Legend Loretta Claiborne.
Speaking about the substance of the project, Kanchan said, "There is only a 5% quota for hiring people with disabilities in Nepal. With the proper support and training from our community center, I am sure youth with intellectual disabilities will also be able to fill this quota."