Weaving hope through skill improvement

Ialam Dhar sees skill development as a way to empower the less privileged, as illustrated by the case of visually impaired people who learned and excelled in broom making in Jaintia Hills.

Physical disabilities are seen and perceived as a setback to pursue and accomplish tasks at physical level. Over the years, many have proven through their inspiring stories how such physical disabilities do not affect skill development, improvement and excellence. Recent cases of Krishna Phawa and Heiyobitmi Dhar of Jaintia Hills have undergone training in the art and craft of broom making under Meghalaya State Skill Development Society (MSSDS). Their training which has been considered successful has been exemplified by the output of Phawa and Dhar and their personal victory to earn a living, despite their visual impairment. In this edition, Sunday Shillong brings its readers the inspiring story of the two broom makers who fought against all odds and are an example of perseverance and determination.

Khrishna Phawa, 27, resident of Mimyntdu-Umlidoh, one of the many beneficiaries among the visually impaired who completed the training in broom making, began by expressing his gratitude to MSSDS and Society for Urban and Rural Empowerment (SURE). Both agencies provided him with the necessary training in broom making. Phawa said he has been selling brooms in Shillong – in schools, offices and other places. Phawa said that through his craft, he has been able to support and sustain his family financially.

Speaking to Sunday Shillong, Phawa said he hopes his story and example will encourage other friends with disabilities to be brave and hardworking. He further said that people can overcome their daily challenges by taking one step towards the impossible. As he puts it, “If others can do it, why can’t we”.

Phawa explained his journey before he started making brooms and said that his disability has not stopped him from learning other skills in the past. For Phawa, broom making is a relatively new skill. He has worked on many farms before and is skilled in growing ginger. He has also worked on construction sites as a labourer and has done other menial tasks such as making fertilisers. Phawa further explained that he started working when he was 13 years old because he was economically disadvantaged but after training for brooms, he took this up as his daily task to provide for his livelihood.

About the government assistance, he said that currently he receives only Rs 750 per month from the ICDS office, West Jaintia Hills district.

On the other hand, Phawa urged the government and various NGOs to provide assistance to people like him with disabilities who have started their own businesses. He said that if the government provides him with financial assistance, he can improve his skills, generate higher production and create employment for his other colleagues.

Another young visually impaired woman who completed the same training was identified as Heiyobitmi Dhar, 27, from Wahiajer Jalapang village, West Jaintia Hills district. She is the second of her eight siblings after her parents to

In an interview with her, she said that through this training she was able to devote her time and also earn a small amount of money from selling brooms. Dhar says that the art of broom making has been a form of rebirth for her. In the past, before she took up the craft, she lacked motivation, but this opportunity has given her immense satisfaction and drive in her life. When asked where she sells these brooms, Dhar says: in Jowai – to the various schools and offices. She further said that most of these supplies are local, but sometimes she sells her products outside her area and then she takes a guide/mentor with her.

Dhar does not consider herself disadvantaged but acknowledges that there is a lack of space for people like her to find their place in the society. She believes and urges the government and NGOs to find ways and means to create financial support for people with disabilities. She also urged other friends to come forward and work for themselves as independent beings. However, Dhar acknowledges the crucial role parents play in the lives of children, especially those who need extra care and understanding. Therefore, she appeals to parents of children with disabilities to encourage and motivate their children so that such children do not get demotivated and discouraged at home and can go out into the world to find a place for themselves.

Both youths, Phawa and Dhar, despite their visual impairments, are exemplary examples of success. They are perfecting the art of using technology and both are mastering the navigation of their mobile phones to call others and/or receive calls by even identifying people’s names. Both craftsmen are also able to operate WhatsApp, type messages and other mobile applications as part of their training workshops.

In memory of their awe-inspiring journey, as many as 13 visually impaired students like Dhar and Phawa were felicitated at Jowai on June 25 and 24. West Jaintia Hills Additional Deputy Commissioner DV Lyngdoh, who was part of the programme, congratulated the visually impaired individuals for successfully completing their broom making training. Expressing her admiration, Lyngdoh said that despite their disabilities, they were not only successful in completing their training but also in producing finished brooms. She noted that West Jaintia Hills is the first district in Meghalaya to implement a special training programme for the differently-abled under the Meghalaya State Skills Development Society.

Lyngdoh congratulated the Office of the District Skill Development Officer, led by Lambormi Suchen, and the team at the Society for Urban and Rural Empowerment (SURE) for achieving this significant milestone. According to him, this achievement is a testament to the government’s commitment to uplifting all.

On this occasion the broom makers were rewarded with certificates and starter packs.

It may be mentioned that in the last six months, SURE has conducted two training sessions for visually impaired members of the association at West Jaintia Hills. These sessions were sponsored by the Meghalaya State Skill Development Society (MSSDS) and the Office of the District Social Welfare Department, Jowai.

The training programme supported by the MSSDS was held at Moosakhia, under Amlarem block, and the training programme sponsored by the DSWO was held at Lumbhah Dakha Wahiajer, under Thadlaskein block.

This leads us to conclude that disabilities can easily fade into the background when it comes to teaching professional skills and training people for a hopeful future.

(With inputs from The Shillong Times report of June 26, 2024 – Breaking barriers: 13 visually impaired become certified broom makers in WJH)