Jharcraft, which is doing well, now gets a chance to do good.
Jamshedpur’s School of Hope, managed by the Jamshedpur Society for the Welfare of Mentally Challenged Children, has asked the state’s handicraft and handloom corporation to give livelihood training and opportunities to its 163 differently-abled students.
A three-member team of the school on Monday approached East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Himani Pande with a proposal for Jharcraft to start a production unit on the School of Hope premises.
“Jharcraft is one of the successful state departments. We feel our students can also learn and undertake projects. All we want is to make youngsters self-reliant,” said Jamshedpur Society for the Welfare of Mentally Challenged Children member Rajnish Kumar.
Jharcraft, which is conquering the world with its weaves and craftsmanship, can actually make a world of difference for this school tucked away in Northern Town.
A weaver under Jharcraft earns between Rs 1,800 and Rs 4,000 a month. Organic silks apart, there are other handicraft items that artisans make.
Jharcraft helps more than two lakh weavers and artisans through production units and NGOs to earn a decent livelihood, which encouraged School of Hope to push its case.
So far, the special cradle engages its teenagers in making candles and rakhis, but they are seasonal products. It also has a handloom unit that produces dusters, napkins and handkerchiefs, but authorities admit that they are difficult to market.
In collaboration with Jharcraft, the school can work out schemes for yearlong employment for students suffering from autism, cerebral palsy or multiple disability.
Jharcraft managing director Dhirendra Kumar said he was positive about the project.
“We are open to anything philanthropic. If the school is keen, we will see what we can do to make special students self-reliant. We can train persons of 18 years and above. Though training modalities have to be worked out as the learners have special needs, there is a solution to every problem.”
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