Empowering the Differently-abled Women
Differently-abled people have been side-lined by society due their physical conditions. They even face the challenge of getting suitable jobs due to their anomalies. Official numbers show that nearly two per cent of Indian population is disabled, while non-governmental estimates claim that the number is still high. Many surveys claim that not more than three per cent of them are employed in the mainstream. Many of them are leading a livelihood by taking up menial jobs like begging, rag picking etc.
Furthermore, the gaps in education have been a concern for this group of society. Economic situations in the family and physical limitations have kept the differently-abled people away from schools. This has resulted in increased dropout rates of the physically challenged. Due to the educational gaps and the stigma about the differently-abled society, the persons with disability are not making their way into the mainstream.
Many organisations in India are taking steps to include the differently-abled persons in their workforce. Organisations are taking steps to bring them into the mainstream of society. Highly motivated and trained professionals are being hired to train them on job centric skills to make them employable.
HCCB is one such organisation that is trying to bring a ray of hope in the lives of the women with a disability under its women empowerment initiative. With its Career Development Centres (CDCs) HCCB is empowering the differently-abled women with employable skills.
Sujata Kumar, the orthopedically challenged from the Ameenpur town is one such example. The undying spirit and willingness to learn has helped her to overcome her disability. She discontinued her studies and was married off at a very young age due to the financial constraints. The mother of three faced hurdles in finding a job due to her condition and lack of specialized skills initially. Her husband who worked as a delivery boy at a gas agency toiled hard, but income was not enough to feed a family of five.
Sujatha joined the Career Development Centre (CDC) of HCCB Ameenpur plant to enrich her skill set. She was enrolled in the CPJRT (Certificate Program in Job readiness Training) that is organised by HCCB in partnership with NIIT. The course helped her to improve her communication and IT skills. Her confidence level increased and soon her fluency in English also improved. She now works as a cashier in a top leading super-market and approximately earns one lakh per annum. Sujata is now supporting her family and saves the earnings to continue her studies which she discontinued.
Sujatha is a real example for perseverance and will power that made to stand erect despite the disability. HCCB under its women empowerment initiatives is empowering them with job-ready skills and trying to bring a ray of light in the lives of differently challenged women of the society.
