While the festival might just be a medley of sounds for but it does not stop him from brightening the lives of other people.
As the Diwali frenzy kicks into high gear, Mohammed, who is visually impaired, is busy making Diwali candles.
While the festival might just be a medley of sounds for but it does not stop him from brightening the lives of other people.
“I am happy that my candles help brighten up thousands of homes on Diwali,” said Mohammed, who hails from Bihar’s Samastipur district. He has been working with the Blind Relief Association (BRA)—an NGO that helps the visually-impaired—for over two years now. He acquired his skill set through a year-long training programme that the NGO conducts on a monthly basis. The courses range across a wide spectrum—from candle-making to call centre training.
Organisers say these courses help the visually-impairedgain meaningful employment. They highlight a recent case in which three men were hired by a start-up thatuses recycled paper to craft retail products.The three beneficiaries of the training programmeare now earning Rs 10,000 a month. One of them saidthe money earned gives them a sense of pride.
It is no wonder that many visually impared individuals rush to sign up for the courses.
Kailash Chandra Pande, executive secretary of BRA, says, “Some of the joinees come when they are young. We have adults enrolling to learn new skills in order to provide for their families.”
Rajkumar certainly qualifies as a veteran. Sitting in the basement of the BRA building, he says he has been commuting from Badarpur to the centreon Lodhi Road for the past 25 years now.
“I don’t know what the colour of the wax that I’m using right now is. But how does it matter?I am satisfied knowing that it is coloured,” he says with a smile.
Harish Kumar would agree. Another BRA veteran, Kumar has been working at the centre for the past 15 years. Holding up an orange coloured candle, he says, “It is gratifying to know that the end product was made by me.”
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