Education and Employment

Training in Horticulture

Being physically challenged is not a challenge to leading a decent life for these 32 people, who are now being trained in growing ornamental plants by the Association for Physically Disabled (APD) at their centre in Kyasanahalli, about 25 kms from Bangalore. On Friday, nine members of the first batch were issued certificates on completion of the 10–month–training at the APD Centre for Horticulture Training.

The APD had also incorporated some mentally ill youth in its training program. A unique three–day horticulture fair showcasing over 200 varieties of ornamental plants was also launched. The government had sanctioned five acres of land to the APD in 2001.

However, it look over four years to reclaim from this barren land the top soil that had been eroded due to the presence of a brick manufacturing industry, and build the existing farm equipped with accommodation for trainees and employees, and a rain water harvesting facility.

Placement

Currently, the Centre has 32 trainees and 18 staff. “By next year, we want to train around 50–60 persons a year and employ around 25 people,” APD Director Mr Basavarju said.

The centre also takes care of placement of the trained people, capitalising on the big demand for horticulture experts in the corporate sectors for landscape maintenance.

Source: APD: Physically challenged get helping hand, Deccan Herald, Bangalore, 5 January 2008.

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Rising ambitions

When Manoj Kumar, the Centre's Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, asked a group of cerebral palsy–affected students at the Spastics Society of Tamil Nadu (SPASTN) what their career ambitions were, they replied in unison, “We want to be software engineers,”

If the aspirations thousands of children with disabilities across the country are to be fulfilled, State Government need to make education more inclusive, said Mr. Kumar. The Society works with children affected by cerebral palsy and its associated conditions, providing them with education and vocational training, besides helping to place them in mainstream schools.

“Education is the biggest concern,” Mr. Kumar said. “States need to give inclusive education more thrust, and all higher education institutions must fulfill the 3 per cent reservation.”

According to a recently released report of the World Bank, a large number of children with disabilities remain out of school. A 2005 survey of 1,400 households revealed that in Tamil Nadu, 45 per cent of the disabled children were out of school. Only Assam and Madhya Pradesh had higher rates.

Mr. Kumar said State Governments needed to identify jobs suited to the needs of disabled candidates in a better manner if vacancies in the reserved posts were to be filled. “State Governments simply have to comply with the 3per cent reservation, which is a statutory provision.”

While State Governments argue that vacancies remain as there are not enough applicants, Mr. Kumar said the larger problem lay in States not identifying jobs t suit the needs of a particular candidate. “State Governments need to improve the identification process. The Union Government has notified around 2,000 jobs, but many States have not followed this identification process. If they do, the appointments they make will be more. You have to find a job to fit the needs of a particular person.”

During his visit to Tamil Nadu, Mr. Kumar will interact with several departments to assess whether mandated reservations have been fulfilled. “Things are better in Tamil Nadu than in other States, but there are still several lapses, especially with regard to jobs,” he said.

Annie Shyam, director of the Society, said if employment rates for people with disabilities were to be improved, access to schools and workplaces had to be increased.” We hear people say that reservations are not taken up,” she said. “But for that to happen, we need to improve access. This is not just the responsibility of the State Government, but of every individual. We have to make our workplaces more disabled friendly.”

Source: States urged to make education more inclusive to help the disabled, The Hindu, Chennai, 8 January 2008.

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So how many Delhi schools are integrated?

Surabhi is a happy child today, she loves her school and her friends. But this wasn't the case a few years ago. Surabhi is visually impaired and not many school in Delhi impart inclusive education. As a result her parents had a tough time getting her admitted to a mainstream school. But many like her aren't lucky to attend a reputed mainstream school. Here the obstacle isn't impairment, but that not many top schools in the city are willing to accept children with disabilities. The excuse generally is the lack of proper facilities.

Not Many Care

Only a handful of schools have the facility where students with dyslexia, drome, hearing, or visually impairment study with normal kids. However, some of these students are surprisingly better in academics than normal kids. “We started with seven to eight disabled kids and based on their ability to perform, they were made to study with normal kids. Now we have 30 kids aged 14'16,” says Sonali Bose, coordinator, Saath Saath learning centre, Springdales Schools, Dhaula Kuan. The USP of the centre is that every special kid is assigned two mentors from Class 11 and 12, who spend two hours with the child and help them learn. But then this is only one of the many schools, most don't boast of any such facility.

Law and the Rules

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in 2005, issued a circular directing schools to provide necessary disabled–friendly education to make integrated education a reality and make their buildings barrier–free. Sadly, not many schools seem to have taken notice.

“The Disability Act of 1980, enforced in December 1995, according to which all schools must admit disabled students. If any disabled child approaches a school it's their responsibility to provide them with adequate facility for his or her growth, both socially and academically,” says Javed Abidi of National Centre for Promotion of Employment to Disabled.

No Criteria for Admission

Ameeta Wattle, Principal, Springdales School, Pusa Road says, “There are no criteria for admission for these kids. If we feel that the cild is ready for an integrated system, we admit the child. Since we are not a special school, we have to take care that the disability is such that the child can cope with inclusive education.

While schools like Springdales, Delhi Public School (RK Puram), Laxman Public School welcome special kids, there are many who aren't ready to provide any such facility. “All mainstream schools should accept special children, but all of them give the excuse that they don't have the required facility,” say Ashok Agarwal of Social Jurist.

Source: Not every school says it's able to help the disabled, Metro Now, 7 January 2008.

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Corporate India boosts employment

Thomas Edison invented the light bulb and became a renowned businessman in the late 1800s. Helen Adams Keller, an American author, activist, and lecturer devoted her life to spreading light where there was only darkness. Franklin Roosevelt, Former President of the United States of America, was elected for four terms from 1933 to 1945. Richard Robinson renowned American pianist and soul musician shaped the sound of rhythm in blues. Sudha Chandran, an Indian classical dancer turned actress, a now an icon on Indian television.

If Roosevelt could lead a nation despite being crippled, if Edison could become the most prolific inventor in history despite a learning disability, if Richard could make the world sway to his rhythm despite being blind, if Sudha Chandran can walk the world on Jaipur feet, and Helen Keller live a life worth writing a novel or making a film on, then why are millions of physically challenged individuals not allowed to dream.

Has the government and civil society given them any reason to keep the faith?

Apparently not.

Across the world there are billions whose lives and futures have been crippled by their destiny. In India alone, there are seven million people suffering from chronic disabilities leaving them to a life of dependence and insecurity. Success for them is a whimper of hope for survival at the mercy of someone else.

The 2001 Census states that 5% of Indians live with one or more disabilities. It isn't easy being physically challenged in India. The mindset, infrastructure does not allow you to lead a regular life. In fact, jobs for those who are differently abled are very hard to come by. But gradually things are beginning to change. Corporate India is making an effort and here is one such story. Here is Microsoft's Project Shiksha on what can be done to empower those who are differently abled.

From the outside, this presidential school, close to Karnataka's Dharwar district, looks as inviting as the five star educational facilities one sees in the metros. But as you walk in, there is a deafening silence, a silence hard to ignore.

Inside a classroom, four children are engrossed in a game of Chess. Thirteen–year–old Sangeeta and fourteen–year–old Vajay are however not just battling over a few black and white squares, they are fighting against the odds. Both these children, like all of the 164 in the school, have hearing and speech disabilities. But just when they have thought that life has thrown them a checkmate, Microsoft came to their rescue.

With project Shiksha, Microsoft has taken it upon itself to equipped teachers with computer skills. The company is also recently decided to further extend its reach by engaging with schools that educate the physically challenged. Computer education therefore becomes a necessary instrument to help communicate with children who are differently abled.

In rotation, Microsoft trains a few teachers in different locations across the country to first help them understand computers and then with their help develop modules in sign language. This training at the IT academy in Dharwar lasts for 12 days. So far, 12 teachers have already been trained in the past year.

After passing out, these teachers go back to their schools and start the process of training students. Not only has the curiosity of understanding technology motivated the students to learn, but their ability to communicate in a language the word understands has made all the difference. But change does not happen overnight.

Today, 164 children have access to new means of expression, something they would never have imagined. Apart from education through Project Shiksha, Microsoft has also given these schools computers free of cost. The project has also given these young children a sense of confidence to take the world ahead on. A small effort but one with huge potential, especially if it can replace traditional and less productive ways of educating the differently abled.

Those living with physical disabilities in India find it very difficult to lead a financially independent life. Job opportunities are hard to come by and even access to vocational training and skill development is not easy. But Cummins India Foundation based in Pune is trying to change that.

As we walk into this all girls dormitory in Pune's Kothrud, all heads turn to face us. It is around Ganesh Chaturthi, a very special time in Maharasthra. We see women dressing up to embrace the festival, looking happy, composed, and very confident. These women are about to perform a skit, but there is no quick glance in the mirror to make sure everything is in place. Their smiles have hidden the fact that the world to them is black.

This is the Poona School and Home for the Blind. It is home to a 150 blind girls, some as young as five and some in their late 20s. Thanks to the support coming in from the Cummins India foundation, the darkness of their lives is beginning to fade.

While initially, Cummins helped with building conservation, provided water and other basic amenities like electricity. With time, it too evolved. Today, these girls are thought more than Braille, art, and theater. They are now learning to make handicrafts. The selling of which helps them earn a living and sustain themselves.

Apart from this, Cummins has also provided sewing machines with which these girls make dusters and dinner napkins and then Cummins even buys the stock directly. Last year, Cummins bought as many as 5,000 pieces.

Though, most women here are genetically blind, some are also only partially blind. Some women are also taught the art of making fancy wax candles, which are put on exhibitions at Cummins' plants in the Diwali season. These are open to sale for Cummins' employees and even outsiders. Last year, the Cummins India Foundation, in conjunction with Cummins global business leaders, donated a Braille computer and printer, which empowers them not only to read but also write.

While providing vocational training, skill development is a step in the right direction. Is it really possible to include those with disabilities into a regular working environment and become a part of the regular work force? Here is an example of one company who has proven exactly that.

Guided by the words of their founder Jamshedji Tata, that the community is not just the stakeholder but also the purpose of existence for an enterprise, Titan Industries has made good that philosophy. 40 km from Bangalore, near the city of Hosur, is Titan's biggest manufacturing factory. It employs both regular as well as physically challenged workers.

Historically, the Tata Group has been always treating the community, as a very important stakeholder in the business planning process. In Titan, CSR is nothing but corporate sustainability, because we believe that we cannot have an island of excellence in a sea of troubled waters.

Titan employs more than 200 physically challenged employees in the factory and that represents almost 6% of its workforce. Most are with auditory or speech disabilities, while some are with visual impairments. They are residents of the area and live in the Titan township. This programme is on for a decade. In fact, when it started, Titan hired people right after class X.

Trained by Titan, the physically challenged workers are a part of the production department and work as machine operators in sorting, buffing, making ornaments and even assembling.

Titan provides the facilities required to make the workers a regular part of the workforce. Several steps have been taken to address special needs like training to enhance technical competence, computer literacy and non–discriminatory policies to creating a favourable working environment.

These employees in Titan have now been working for more than 18 years. With a steady salary and gainful employment, they have a chance to build not just their future, but also their children's.

Like Titan, ABB, which is an electrical equipment manufacturer based in Bangalore, is also empowering those that are physically challenged and making them a part of their regular workforce.

ABB, in India, is supporting an inspiring initiative with Prerna, an NGO in Bangalore, that proposes to train the physically challenged. Shabana Azmi, who was born a cripple, was a recluse and abandoned by society. Her only vocation was singing bhajans. If lucky, she got paid to make papads for a local company in Bangalore. She was spotted by Prerana and today her life is transformed. Shabana, along with other disabled women, now works as a special employee of ABB, assembling engineering products.

Like Shabana, Nethra too has seen a radical change in her lifestyle. She is motivated to work in an engineering company that gives her a sense of dignity.

ABB's Project Roshni is helping women like Shabana and Nethra. These physically challenged women are proud employees of a global company and are capable of standing on their own feet. They are confident, skilled, highly motivated and moreover independent.

Project Roshni also operates out of Nashik, where mentally challenged people do similar work. This is not charity for ABB. The sub–units assembled by women, like Shabana and Nethra, are used for ABB's top of the line products. Committed to making a difference to the communities at service, ABB stresses the need to move away from charity and welfare, to a model that values productivity and empowerment.

Source: Enabling the physically challenged through CSR. CNBC-TV18. 19 January 2008.

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