SRISTI STORIES OF CHANGE
If lucky, the only resource a person with a disability has access to is special education or vocational training. Unfortunately, despite this, the employment rate for disabled people is alarmingly low and is lower for those with an intellectual disability. We have created a parallel system, out of support and love that helps us bypass the difficulties.
The highlight of our journey has been the incredible transformations in our community members, the acceptance shown by their families, and the involvement of people from neighbouring villages.
Read on to hear some of our impact stories.
STARTING A BUSINESS – THULIR
Initiated by 12 of our disabled community members, one of our most esteemed initiatives has been the launch of our agro-venture called ‘Thulir’ (in Tamil it means the first leaf of a plant). The team has produced a variety of vegetables already like Okra, a variety of Gourd’s, Spinach, Cluster beans, drumsticks, Watermelon, Turmeric among other herbs. We provide the team with all the support they need to spearhead their very own venture into the trades of the main-stream society.
The mechanics of the venture works in a way that once the land reaps the harvest, Sristi village buys the stock from ‘Thulir’ itself, making us their first client. From the time of harvesting, they have made a bank account for themselves and saved some money in it. This is one of the most proud moments for us.
Anand – a professional in the making!
Anand was introduced to Sristi Village in 2016. He quickly became part of the Sristi family and a vital member of the community. He would always lend a helping hand in every aspect of the village making sure everyone is heard and appreciated. Anand was so good that he became a paid member of staff!
It has been great to see his progress. Now, to enhance his skills and become a professional, he has been accepted at Vidya Sagar to study Caregiving for six months. We hope to see him back at Sristi in a high paid staff role – or somewhere else if he’d like! But for now, we wish all the love and luck for him for the coming adventures in life.
Arunkumar – the dairy farm extraordinaire
Arun lost his parents at a young age and was admitted to an orphanage by a social worker. Throughout his pre & post orphanage time, his disability had constantly subjected him to teasing & mocking by the street kids and looks at the care unit. This led to extreme aggression and a tendency to escape due to the absence of understanding & trust.
Then one a social worker referred him to Sristi and within six months his behaviour has transformed him into a very patient and amicable boy. His passion lies in tending to farm animals and he now partakes in the animal husbandry unit. It turns out, all he needed was a caring and affectionate environment to feel valued and to realize his full potential.
Banu Priya – the bright start student
A student of our Special School comes from a cooperative family. When initially the Govt. refused to admit her in the school, her parents approached us. She suffers from many developmental delays, particularly with difficulty in walking and comprehensible speech. So, over the last 3 years, we have trained her in speech & physical therapy with a current focus on rudimentary lessons (such as the alphabet, colours, and shapes) and daily living skills (dressing, bathing, eating independently).
Being a bright student, her capabilities have transformed her into a child who can independently walk without crutches, speak with basic comprehension, and best of all, she is now enrolled in a regular Govt. school, where she studies for 3 days and 2 days at Sristi. We are very happy to witness the beginning of her inclusion in the mainstream schooling. This helps our work in changing the perception of society towards disability.
Sendhil – rediscovering his voice
Sendhil was enrolled in a special education program early in his life and received vocational training in electrical work. Despite the skills he had learnt and his eagerness to work, no one would hire him. Without an income, his family could no longer support him and his mother placed him in a home. Unfortunately, the people at this home locked him in a room for 3 long years, making his life miserable, to say the least.
Upon hearing his story, we contacted his mother and tried hard to rescue him from the home. Having forgotten to speak, he showed unusual behaviours that were coping mechanisms from his time locked in the room. However, today Sendhil is beloved in our Sristi Village community and is surrounded by friends who are helping him recover from his trauma. Slowly he is healing and re-discovering his place by being involved in the farm work.
Want to find out how you can help us at Sristi Foundation? Click the button below!