People with disabilities make unique, hand & machine-made wooden products at Takshan Creatives

Wheelchair user Jolly Joseph from Kerala started ‘Takshan Creatives’, a venture where disabled people make products from wood. Their brand ‘Kriya’ is now gathering a lot of attention. Jolly talks about the aim, objectives and future plans for Takshan Creatives.

When Jolly Joseph, founder of ‘Takshan Creatives’ started the venture, he wanted to empower people with disabilities in the best possible ways. With the help of NGO Swasraya where he has been part of for past three years, Jolly, a wheelchair user, started his own brand ‘Kriya’. Disabled people make unique products carved from wood which are often customized according to customer demand. Over a year old, ‘Kriya’ is now providing employment opportunities to people with disabilities and hopes to expand the venture in days to come.

The forming of ‘Takshan Creatives’

For Jolly who was working as a graphic designer, an unexpected turn in his life changed things forever. Jolly was diagnosed with a tumor in his spine that left him a paraplegic for life. Since the past three years, he has been using a wheelchair. Ever since then, Jolly is a part of Kerala based NGO Swasraya in Kochi.

Even while working as a graphic designer, I wanted to do something on my own. After becoming part of ‘Swasraya’, I came across many people with disabilities who are earning their own living by running businesses. That inspired me to begin one on my own. Oorjja is an eco-system for empowering differently abled individuals. I’am a graphic designer there and Oorjja is the strategic partner of Takshan. Swasraya is a training and rehabilitation center for people with spinal cord injuries. – Jolly Joseph, Founder, Takshan Creatives

Jolly started his own venture and ‘Kriya’, the brand was born a year back.

The novel ventures of ‘Kriya’

There are a handful of craftsmen who do their bit to make products for ‘Kriya’. There are four wheelchair users who work full-time. Then there are others who contributes to transporting products and other activities. They are currently located at Mulanthuruthy in Kochi which is Swasraya’s center too.

The team makes customized mementos, promotional gift items, photo frames, carvings, key chains and other products from wood. “We do not make ready made products and most of it are created according to what our customers want. We do both machine and hand-work”, says Jolly who hopes to provide more employment opportunities to disabled people.

“We hope to expand the venture wherein disabled people can work from their homes. There are many wheelchair users who are looking for jobs. There are others who do small works on their own. So we want to create a network of sorts. We are doing great till now”, says Jolly.

Mohammed Shanil, a wheelchair user, recently became part of Takshan Creatives and their brand Kriya. “I had a great experience till now. We hope to give more freelance works to disabled people so that they can earn a living and become independent”, he says.

To order their products, you can contact Team Takshan Creatives at +91-89436-68166

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