Celebrate this Diwali with products made by youngsters with disabilities

Diwali is round the corner. This year, celebrate the festival by making it more inclusive and buy products made by people with disabilities. Schools and NGOs that works towards empowering disabled youngsters have lined up an array of products to deck up homes for this festive season. They are also willing to courier products to others parts of India.

The festival of lights is here. For the next few days, every home will be decked up with beautiful diyas and other decorations for Diwali. It is also a season of celebrating it with loved ones by giving them gifts that are exclusive of Diwali. Celebrated across India, Diwali definitely brings good times. This year, many schools and NGO’s that work with children and youngsters with disabilities are gearing up to sell handmade products made by people with disabilities. Their annual successful sales graph show that a huge clientele is happy to buy these lovely products.

Loom products from Sankalp

One of Chennai’s most popular schools for children with developmental disabilities, Sankalp has always stood out from the rest for being a class apart. Their products are always a favourite amongst people in the city. Since they provide vocational and skill training sessions, their students are equipped to make beautiful handmade products all throughout the year.

This Diwali, they are focusing on making hand-woven loom products suitable for people of all ages. They also have an array of other products on sale including hand-made soaps, painted pottery and cloth bags to name a few. Painted rods that can be put into planters is already a hit amongst those who come to shop.

Parents and relatives of these youngsters visit our centre to see the beautiful products that are made with care and love. Making such products also gives them an opportunity to learn new things. They can eventually sit at home and start their own business which helps to make them independent-Subhashini Rao, Co-founder, Sankalp

Youngsters from the age of 18-25 years are part of the project which is called 18 Plus.

You can contact Sivasankari at +91 95661-56237 to buy the products.

Eco-friendly Diwali from Pragiti

Pragiti, a centre based in Hyderabad, has been empowering youngsters with disabilities since the year 2000. Their main focus is on making eco-friendly and recyclable products. Every year, they make some creative and interesting products for Diwali and this year is not any different for members at Pragiti!

The team of youngsters have been working on making beautiful hand-painted diyas which have also been sold in bulk orders. All of them have mild and moderate intellectual disabilities. More than ten members between the age group of 18-35 years are part of the project. Pragiti members have also been making paper bags and other products from paper.

“Diyas are our exclusive product for Diwali. We hope the sales are going to increase this week as Diwali is approaching. We are also glad that a lot of people are coming forward to buy our products made by youngsters with disabilities”, says Rajalakshmi Chunduri, Founder, Pragiti.

Pragiti team knows that engaging in such crafts will help to increase different skills of a disabled person. Though their eco-friendly product making projects happen round the year, Diwali always remain special for the team.

You can contact Rajalakshmi Chunduri at +91 92462-78109.

Celebrating with products from Aarambh

Started by Trupti Patil in the year 2015, Aarambh Special School in Pune provides vocational and skill training to young people with disabilities to make them independent and self-reliant. This Diwali, they have an array of products lined up for sale. The students and staffs at Aarambh have been working together to ensure that beautiful products are made to deck up Pune homes for Diwali.

Painted ‘diyas’, candles, agarbathis and other eco-friendly products have already been stocked up. Their Diwali sale is happening at various exhibitions and ‘melas’ across Pune. All the products are made by youngsters between the age of 12-25 years with disabilities like cerebral palsy, autism and Down syndrome.

“Making products for Diwali is always exciting for our students. Every year we do the same and have been getting good responses till date. Whatever profit we make is shared amongst the students who made the products so that it boosts their self-esteem. We have a lot of support from parents too”, says Trupti Patil, Founder, Aarambh.

Clearly, making all these products enhances fine motor skills of these youngsters.

You can contact Trupti Patil at +91 90965-48295.

Also Read: Look out for amazing handmade Diwali products from children of Pearl Special Needs Foundation

Watch in Sign Language