SAMADRISHTI, Kshamata Vikas Evam Anusandhan Mandal (SAKSHAM) has started many projects exclusively for women empowerment during the last a few years. One among them is Virangula Kendra in Akola, Maharashtra. It may look like a recreation centre, but it is basically a project for complete empowerment of differently-abled women. The special emphasis is on self-reliance. The women are imparted training of various kinds of domestic industries, rangoli, handicraft, making paper envelops, bags, yogasan, meditation, legal aid, etc. Women at this centre regularly manufacture many kinds of products including spices, dry chatani, potato chips, papad, paper bags, etc. It is purchased by local grocery store owners, medical stores, etc. in bulk.
The regular training and practice of yogasan and meditation have cured many physical ailments of the women staying here. A gynecologist conducts their regular check-up. They are also guided about cleanliness. Recently, the project organised a unique programme in which the mothers, who pay special attention to differently-abled girls, were felicitated.
A group of women is being imparted special training for a cultural programme to be staged at the forthcoming foundation day of Saksham. The old visually-challenged women are being provided Braille training while the other women are being imparted training of computer. This is the reason many of the women at the centre regularly visit the Braille library and read books available there.
In Kaladi, Kerala, Saksham started a hostel for visually-challenged women where visually challenged girls and other visually challenged women are housed with a facility of food and respectful living. Efforts are made to make the women self-reliant by providing them different kinds of training. By and large today, more than 400 women activists are active in different activities like audio recording, cassette library management, Braille books production, awakening for eye donation, imparting different kinds of training to women, personality development camps, residence management, etc. Majority of the women activists are well-educated who spare time from their daily family responsibilities and dedicate to these service activities. It is the best example of utilising extra time and also getting mental peace and satisfaction. Over 350 visually challenged or differently-abled women have directly been benefited through all these activities.
(FOC)
