She helps them stand on their feet

Rohini Khare imparts stitching skills to differently-abled people

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/ DNA
Saturday, October 11, 2008

A visit to this workshop will make visitors wonder about the novelty of the products produced there. The reason: all the items — starting from designer handbags, ties, wine bottle covers, napkins, bread baskets, cozy tea sets, baby gift sets, tissue box covers to other tailoring-designing products — on display are made not by normal human beings, but by differently abled.The workshop at Vasna road here is run by 65-year-old Rohini Khare, who provides vocational training to the differently abled to make them self-dependent. “For me, stitching was just a hobby initially, and I always like to experiment on stitching many things. Later, I started training the differently abled just to help them stand on their own feet and provide them with an opportunity to earn.” Rohini, who has done a certificate course in tailoring, loves using her talent in helping the differently-abled. “I used to work for different institutes providing training to the physically challenged people. But just giving them training is not sufficient, they should also be given an opportunity to earn and thats how the whole concept of a workshop started.” Here all the workers are paid respective amount on a daily basis for their work. “I make it a point that they finish their work on time and are efficient with their work as I treat them as normal people. You will be surprised but they are equally capable of doing their work on time,” she said.After seeing the hand-bags and other products, it is difficult to say that they have been made by physically challenged people. Rohini teaches them how to stitch through sign language.All present, four deaf and mute people and two physically challenged people are involved in making the hand bags and tailoring-designing stuff at Khares workshop. Because of this workshop, these differently abled workers are able to support their families financially.A woman worker at Khares workshop said: “Being physically challenged, it is difficult for a person like me to get normal jobs. I learned stitching work here and now I am happy that I am capable enough to give monetary support to my family.” On why mainly hand bags are made at the workshop, Rohini said, “I dont have that much money to invest in big items. Making hand bags dont cost much and it is also easy for the differently abled people to make them.”Khare works under the name of Rays which organises exhibitions at different places to sell the products made by the differently abled at her workshop. “I want to involve more and more differently-abled people in the workshop as they have the talent to prove themselves. All they need is inspiration,” Rohini said.