Disabled Kids Feel the Touch of the Rakhi Bracelet

The relationship people have with their siblings is likely to be the most important one in their lives. The moments they build together are unforgettable and are worth celebrating every day. Brothers and sisters in India commemorate the unbreakable bond they have during the Raksha Bandhan festival, an important Hindu annual ceremony that sees sisters tying a bracelet around their brothers’ wrists. The amulet, known as rakhi, is a symbol of their connection and, in return for this precious gift, sisters get the promise of being protected by their brothers for all their life.

Sadly, not all brothers get to enjoy the ritual in its truest sense because many kids in the country are differently abled — especially with their upper limbs. To help children experience all the joys that come along with this ceremony — celebrated on 22 August this year — Cadbury Celebrations teamed up with Ogilvy Mumbai for the #MyFirstRakhi campaign, enabling physically disabled kids to feel the touch of the bracelet around their wrists and thus strengthening the bond they have with their siblings.

“For years now, Mondelez India has been an innate part of festivals and occasions like Raksha Bandhan, and has redefined the joy of gifting and shared moments with Cadbury Celebrations. Through #MyFirstRakhi, we wanted to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these kids who don’t get to experience festivals as we do. To celebrate Rakhi you need to feel the touch of its threads and hence we provided a solution to give them a sense of touch,” Anil Viswanathan, Senior Director – Marketing, Mondelez India, explains.

The solution that Viswanathan refers to comes in the form of a prosthetic arm equipped with sensors that enable kids to feel touch and even the rakhi bracelet on their arms. In developing the idea and bringing it to life, the brand received help from Social Hardware, an organization that works towards providing assistive devices and rehabilitation services to underserved communities.

For children who have a disability regarding their upper limbs, prosthetic arms are recommended, as these can help improve the little ones’ lives. Yet, normal prosthetic arms lack the sense of touch, an important sense children have to experience as part of the growing-up process. In support of these kids and their families, Cadbury has pledged to provide these low-cost hands to many children across India by continuing the collaboration with Social Hardware in the coming year.

Commenting on the campaign, Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India said: “Raksha Bandhan is a very special festival celebrated across the country. With #MyFirstRakhi we are helping ensure that every brother, who has so far missed experiencing the joy of celebrating this festival, can now feel the bonds of this beautiful relationship on his hand.”

Besides the online platform that supports the initiative which people can use to find out more about the affordable arm, the campaign is accompanied by a short video, showcasing the story of a young boy, Shubham, and his sister, building priceless memories on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.