The terracotta moulds are given a fresh coat of paint. They are then sun-dried for a couple of days. Once dried, melted wax is poured into each mould and wick is placed carefully at the centre. The liquid is allowed to cool for a while before getting into a glossy wrapper.
Squatting on the floor, a group of differently-abled persons get busy making candles holding a variety of tinted moulds. When trainers T. Jyothi and Vijayalakshmi explain each step of the process to the participants, they meticulously follow the instructions.
Increased participation
The recently-launched Visakha Kushi Deep project of Prajwal Vani Welfare Society has been witnessing increased participation over the weeks. “With the festival of lights around the corner, we thought it the right time to train the differetnly-abled in candle-making craft. What turns out to be an interesting part of the learning process is how the trainees show keen interest in marketing their products,” says K.V.L. Suchitra Rao, founder of the society, who has been providing free technical training to differently-abled persons at the venue.
With over 2,000 candles already packed for the season, those who have been trained in candle-making say they are now coming up with marketing strategies to push their products through various channels. “Some of the floating and tea-light candles have been sold out within a few days. Since my sister works at HSBC, I am able to sell a number of candle sets to her friends. It really helped me make a few bucks in a short span of time,” explains Tabitha through sign language.
Eye on shopping malls
Besides marketing through social media platforms, the team plans to gain an entry into shopping malls and hospitality industry. “The best part about the project is how it guided us to hone our marketing skills. Recently, I went to SBI, Simhachalam branch, and casually showed these candles to a few employees. Soon, orders started pouring in,” says Pavan, a differently-abled person who is busy catering to pre-booked orders. Here, candles of various shapes are priced anywhere between Rs.5 and Rs.100.
An interesting part of the learning process is how the trainees show keen interest in marketing their products.
K.V.L. Suchitra Rao
Founder of Prajwal Vani Welfare Society
