After working a few years at Sangama, Chandini, along with a few like-minded people, started Payana, a NGO for the betterment of sexual minorities. Now, she is working with Three Wheels United (TWU), a social enterprise that works to change the living conditions of auto-rickshaw drivers by giving them access to affordable loans.
As a sex worker, Chandini, a transgender from T Narasipura, used to loiter around MG Road to solicit customers, a decade ago. Never in her wildest dreams, had she imagined that someday she would find herself a dignified job, on the same street, where she had once waited for customers.
It all happened when Chandini, who was then known as Mahalingaswamy, realised that he was different from others his age, during his high school days. It became difficult for him to stay in the hostel while studying PUC. Finally, he came to Bangalore to find companions and later joined Sangama, a non-governmental organisation that works for sexual minorities.
Chandini while speaking with iamin recalled, “I could not hide my identity for long. After a few months, I thought it was the right time to reveal my identity to my mother at least. When I told them the truth, my parents cut off all ties with me. It took me a few years to convince my own parents and parents of other people in Chamarajanagar District who had children like me.’’
After working a few years at Sangama, Chandini, along with a few like-minded people, started Payana, a NGO for the betterment of sexual minorities. Now, she is working with Three Wheels United (TWU), a social enterprise that works to change the living conditions of auto-rickshaw drivers by giving them access to affordable loans. “One of the Payana board members advised me to join the TWU. She thought that I could work for the betterment of the lives of auto-rickshaw drivers. Now, I am very happy with the job that is giving me not only a stable salary but also immense satisfaction,’’ says Chandini.
On being asked whether she is exposed to any kind of discrimination at her workplace, Chandni says, “All the employees respect me and I also respect them equally. I have faced no discrimination although everyone knows my identity,’’ Chandini says with immense pride.
Talking about her job, she says, “I never find any difficulty in reaching out to auto-rickshaw drivers who seek financial assistance from TWU which provides 10 per cent of the loan amount.”
Chandini recalls her MG Road days and says that there were occasions where she had to flee whenever police conducted raids. Several times she had to take the help of local autorickshaw drivers’ to leave the spot and prevent getting arrested. On such occasions, she never had an inkling that one day she would become a business executive to orient auto-rickshaw drivers into leading a dignified life.
For the longer version of the report, click here
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