Persons with disabilities get exposure

Ludhiana, June 17
Visiting a mall and a hotel for the first time was in itself an enchanting experience for them. A group of students from Sarthak, an NGO that is helping people with disabilities, got lucky today and visited MBD Mall and Hotel Radisson Blu during their exposure visit.

The NGO is providing training and helping persons with disabilities to become independent in life. Hearing impaired, visually impaired and orthopedically impaired people are given three months’ skill development training by the NGO.

Kulwinder Kaur, an orthopedically impaired woman earlier worked as an aanganwadi worker. But she left her job after marriage and now wants to be finally independent again.

“My husband has always supported me and even he wants me to be independent. After joining this course, I have started living my life. Earlier, I was just passing my days,” she said.

Pooja Chaudhary, another orthopedically impaired, has completed her BA and is now seeking admission in MA. She is not happy the way people with disabilities are treated and believe they have the right for half ticket in public transport but conductors often argue with them over it. “More job openings should be there in the government sector for people like us. I have filled nearly 40 forms, but have not got any response so far,” she said.

Rupinder Kaur was earlier working with Life Insurance Corporation and is now trying to re-locate herself again in the retail sector.

“After marriage I had to leave my job. Now, after the training I am looking forward to a new start in my life,” she adds with a smile.

Life has been unfair for Saurav Kumar as a small scuffle proved costly for his life. He was in Class X when, during a scuffle, he got injuries on his head. As a result, his brain was affected and today only 50 per cent of his brain is working. He also faces difficulty in speaking. After doing a course in computer and hospitality, he hopes to become financially independent.

“Over protection of parents sometimes work against them and they are not able to adjust in the society. They should be allowed to mix up with normal children,” said a coordinator of Sarthak telling about the feeling of hearing impaired Karamvir and Kavi.