Innovative Solutions for Social Impact: Televeda and Benetech
Televeda
When Mac missed his weekly virtual painting class, his fellow seniors grew concerned. They took it upon themselves to check on him and discovered that the elderly artist had been hospitalized after an accident. A few weeks later, he rejoined the class, warmly welcomed by his new friends.
“He felt acknowledged, as if there were people eager for his return,” shares Shruti Gurudanti, co-founder of the online social platform Televëda, referencing Mac (whose name remains anonymous due to privacy policies).
The motivation behind Gurudanti’s vision for the platform stemmed from a profound desire to foster community among seniors facing isolation. Televëda facilitates connections through various engaging activities, including yoga, art, and bingo—a cause that resonates deeply with her. Gurudanti’s own experience as a child witnessing her grandparents’ descent into loneliness due to her grandfather’s Alzheimer’s disease influenced her commitment to this mission.
A Connection That Matters
In 2018, Gurudanti collaborated with her husband, Mayank Mishra, a software engineer, to create the technology powering the platform—building on the familial bonds that inspired Televëda’s creation.
The development of this technology was crucial for connecting seniors—but it initially only benefited those with digital access and skills. In response to this limitation, Televëda began a door-to-door service in 2019, providing seniors with affordable devices and Wi-Fi, as well as training them on how to use these technologies.
“If you’re fortunate enough to grow old, I wanted to find a way to help a generation that often confronts loneliness,” Gurudanti states.
To combat the widespread issue of loneliness, Televëda has broadened its scope to include support for Indigenous communities and minority veterans.
In these contexts, the organization provides peer support groups and digital access initiatives to connect individuals with social and mental health resources. This effort has significantly influenced veterans, allowing them to find essential resources online—a vital support for those in distress.
“Our focus with veterans remains the mitigation of social isolation and loneliness, especially regarding suicide prevention,” adds Gurudanti. “Research shows that connecting veterans with the Veterans Association can greatly reduce suicide risks and improve health outcomes.”
While Gurudanti’s initiative began as an effort to assist seniors, the pervasive issue of loneliness motivates the organization’s ongoing efforts. “What propels us is the understanding that there are still countless individuals we can positively affect,” she asserts.
Benetech
At the age of 13, Chloe Deutsch lost her ability to read due to Lyme disease, which brought on dizziness and nausea whenever she attempted to focus on text. While there was no immediate solution for her condition, she found relief in an innovative assisted-reading platform created by the nonprofit tech group Benetech, which helped her reclaim her love for reading.
“For the first time since my diagnosis, I felt empowered again, able to learn and explore the world through literature,” Deutsch recalls of her experience with Bookshare, an online library for individuals with accessibility challenges. “As someone who valued the independence of reading, I wanted to avoid depending on others to read for me.”
Bookshare features more than 1.3 million titles, all adaptable to text-to-speech technology or refreshable braille devices. This library is pivotal in advancing Benetech’s mission to utilize technology for inclusive education.
“If we can eliminate barriers to accessing content, then anyone—regardless of their age or differences—can enjoy reading,” explains Ayan Kishore, CEO of Benetech. “This is essential for their well-being, fulfillment, and career development.”
“Consider a student striving to learn while peers have immediate access to resources, leaving them waiting weeks for core reading materials. Such discrepancies can severely hinder their academic success,” Kishore adds.
To speed up this process, Benetech collaborates with over 1,000 publishers to produce books specifically designed for accessibility.
Confronting Inequities
The shortage of accessible resources is a widespread challenge, especially for individuals dealing with intersecting issues of disability, race, and economic hardship. This deficiency can lead to disparities such as the school-to-prison pipeline, with a University of Pennsylvania study revealing that 66% of incarcerated individuals reported having a self-identified disability compared to 26% in the entire US populace.
“This indicates that we have let down these individuals earlier in their lives and at school,” Kishore laments.
To address this concern, Benetech provides complimentary access to Bookshare for students with disabilities through financial contributions from various supporters, including individuals, organizations, corporations, and the Department of Education.
Paying it Forward
In her current position within higher education, Deutsch advocates for students with disabilities, just as Benetech supported her. “Thank you for fostering innovation that empowers young people to prosper in spaces that have traditionally been inaccessible,” she expressed in a letter to Benetech’s supporters.
This article first appeared in the March-April 2025 issue of Daitrl magazine (US edition).
