Chennai: S. Bharath (28), who is mentally challenged, makes beaded elephants and other handicraft for a living, earning about Rs3,000 a month. His creations were on display along with other special children’s products at an exhibition organised on Saturday by The Pathway, a centre for rehabilitation and education that imparts vocational training. Bharath, originally a resident of Melmaruvathur, has been staying for the past 12 years at The Pathway. It takes him two days to complete a beaded elephant, which is sold at '450 at The Pathway’s sister unit in the US.
The organisation went around 50-60 NGOs in Chennai and Kancheepuram and chose children, who were performing well at their vocational training courses and gave 60 mentally retarded children the Pathway Vocational Excellence Award at the event. The Pathway centres in Chennai and Kancheepuram have 500 children. “Floor mats from waste, bangles and wall hangings from plastic water bottles, handicrafts and showpieces, jewellery made with beads and from paper and bakery products, our students make them all.
We sell everything except candles and phenyl, which we use,” says Chandra Prasad, director, technical and special educator, The Pathway.“Our children’s products are sold in the US and the revenue from there alone is Rs2 lakh to Rs5 lakh every year,” adds A.D.S.N. Prasad, director and founder of THe Pathway. “We also receive some bulk orders from other countries that wish to present gifts to their guests.”
Giving away the prizes at the event, social welfare minister B. Valarmathi says, “The government is giving guidance and support to these special children through many schemes. Currently, Rs1,000 is being given, but talks are on to increase this to Rs1,500.”Principal secretary to government, department of differently-abled, P. Sivasankaran and state commissioner for differently-abled, K. Manivasan, were present.
