CHENNAI: Thirty-one-year-old Sreedhar, a person with cerebral palsy and mental retardation, sits in front of a loom at one of the rooms at Vidya Sagar — a centre for special education — and diligently weaves a colourful tapestry. As he interweaves the warps and wefts, Bala Vinayakam Stalin, mentor at the vocational training centre of the institute, oversees the production and guides Sreedhar. “He was eight years old when he came to Vidya Sagar. It took him about 10 years to learn various skills including understanding the nuances of using a loom,” Bala tells CE. Sreedhar nods his head, gestures that he enjoys the process of weaving and goes on to gleefully weave a lavender scarf. To him, the process is therapeutic.
The fruits of Sreedhar’s hard work and that of several other children with special needs were recently displayed at the school as part of a two-day mela titled Namba Pasanga Angadi. “As part of their vocational training, children make crafts and decor products throughout the year. During festival times, we curate such a market to display the products they’ve made. This is a platform for them to showcase their talent and also to motivate them,” says Amirth Raj, coordinator, adult department (production and vocational centre).
Swabodhini, Ekagrata, Rasa, KRM Special School, V Excel, Twin Twigs, Anbalaya, SCARF, Shine Special School and Jayam Special School — the souq featured stalls by 20-odd different organisations, including NGOs and special schools.
Doormats, wallets, scarfs, diaries, folders, bookmarks, keychains, fridge magnets, photo pins, frames, coasters, bangles, paper bags, envelopes, dustbins, key chains, baskets, jewellery and other home decor items — priced from `20 onwards, were on display. “Children use multiple techniques to create these products. For instance, some children have very minimal hand movement. They use thread painting as a technique to create beautiful textures on different canvases — paper, cloth and so on. We use the canvas to create utility products,” said a coordinator.
Sustainability was the unsaid theme of the event. From coasters made out of paper, upcycled bottles to fabric repurposed into quirky knick-knacks, the market brimmed with unique products. “We also ensure nothing goes waste. Everything is put to good use,” said another volunteer, pointing to an ottoman chair and cupboard made using recycled magazine sheets. “We also use paper shreds to weave bags,” she shared.
A demonstration-cum-activity centre for visitors to try their hands at weaving, block-printing, thread painting and marbling was also part of the event. “The idea was to give visitors a glimpse of how our children work. We also wanted to give them a hands-on experience and indulge in activities that they otherwise might not get a chance to do. All the visitors enjoyed the process,” said Bala.