A group of children and youth with mental disability in Tiruchi have been extended a hand of support from Europe, and their talent for making embroidered greeting cards has led to a windfall order for Christmas.
European tourists who visited Intact Adult Girls Home at K. Sathanur in Tiruchi, a government sponsored home for children and youth with mental disability, and girls with physical disabilities about six months ago, were captivated by the hand embroidered cards they had made. The visitors bought all the cards available and took them to their respective countries, notably Sweden and Switzerland.
A big order for 1,000 more cards followed, and the youth are now busy making greeting cards of varied designs.
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“In addition to their earlier orders, we have received order for 1,000 more greeting cards from Sweden for Christmas. We are extremely happy to know that the cards made by the children convey messages of love among Europeans,” says Karuna Ebenezer, Managing Trustee, Intact Adult Girls Home. The inmates, aged 14 to 25, meticulously carry out embroidery work on punched marks on the cards. On an average, each girl makes two cards daily, earning Rs.50 per card.
“I found it difficult to follow the instructions initially. However, it has become easy now. I make two cards per day. I feel happy that I am not burdening my father,” says N. Matharasi (24) of Thanjavur, who is certified to be suffering from 40 per cent intellectual disability. Her mother died several years ago.
“We provide oral instructions; they devote themselves to producing vibrant cards even though their hand coordination is a little slow,” says J. Stella, an instructor. The home is fully funded by the State government, said N. Swaminathan, District Differently Abled Welfare Officer. It accommodates 40 young women with intellectual disabilities as an assisted living solution.
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The vocational training had helped the beneficiaries earn about Rs. 3,000 per month.