Giving Every Child a Voice | Elizabeth Jeans Thomas | TEDxKharadi Salon
"What if the right words could change a child’s world forever?Elizabeth Thomas was on the path most people expect: earn a degree, find a respectable job, live a simple life. But everything shifted when she stumbled upon a lesser-known course in Speech Language Pathology. It was not just a career detour; it became her life’s calling.A life-changing moment with a non-verbal autistic child led her to dedicate her career to helping children find their voice. Recognising how inaccessible therapy was, she co-created an e-learning platform that empowers parents, teachers, and caregivers. Through Phonologix, she partners with NGOs and schools to bring tools to those who need them most.Her story is a powerful reminder that hausla does not always speak loudly, but it always speaks with purpose. And with right financial support, her mission has found the financial wings to reach communities that need it most." Elizabeth Jeans Thomas is a passionate Speech-Language Pathologist, social entrepreneur, and founder of Phonologix, one of India’s leading tech-enabled speech therapy platforms. With 20+ years of experience, she specializes in pediatric communication disorders, especially autism. A strong advocate of early intervention and neurodiversity-affirming care, she empowers families through her innovative platform, Speech Ally. Incubated at NSRCEL, IIM Bangalore, and backed by programs like Goldman Sachs 10K Women and Stanford Seed Spark, her work has reached children across 10+ countries. She has conducted 36,000+ teletherapy sessions in multiple Indian languages. Elizabeth has received several awards, including the NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Award, She Loves Tech India 2023, and the Womenpreneur Award 2023. Her mission is to democratize access to quality speech therapy, bridging the gap through empathy, technology, and inclusive care. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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