An inspiration to many: Specially-abled Kerala man makes umbrellas to earn a living

Thiruvananthapuram: Hailing from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, a man named Thaha stands tall in life, in spite of being paralysed.

Thaha never succumbed to self-pity, but instead braved the odds and made a living for himself using social media as his tool.

This specially-abled man has been making umbrellas for the last five years, and with the help of Unni and Manoj Pillai, he has been selling his products through platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp.

Thaha says he learned to make umbrellas from the father in his Church and now earns a living by it.

"I know God is with me, there is nothing to be ashamed of. There is no point of sitting idle because of a disease, we must fight it out and not indulge in self-pity, do what you can best," said Thaha, who became paralysed a few years ago after meeting an accident.

Apart from umbrellas, Thaha also knows how to make soap powder, jewellery, paper bags, and LED bulbs. He not only sells but also teaches how to make these products.

However, Thaha says bed sores are a bigger problem for him, but that does not stop him from doing the work.

Thaha also drives an automatic car customized for him with hand-held accelerator and break.

"I drive to many nearby towns and districts. The car has been customised to suit my needs; the accelerator and break are hand-held for my convenience," he says.

Not only does he look after himself on his own, Thaha also takes care of the needy with food and amenities.