COIMBATORE: The spirit to excel in life has made these differently abled persons to foray into IT-enabled Services (IT
eS) after they formed a selfhelp group (SHG) specifically for this purpose. And they claim it to be a first of its kind initiative in the city.
The motivation for this initiative came from District Collector P Umanath and District Rehabilitation Officer C Jasmin, who persuaded them to venture into this sector since majority of them were graduates and had completed their computer courses.Interestingly, four of the 12-member SHG were already working at the Regional Passport Office and the District Passport Cell.Express spotted the members busy on data entry work, which they obtained from a private company, at the centre located on a narrow by-lane at the tail end Chetty Street on Perur Road. And the single room which houses the centre has been taken on rent which the SHG members share among themselves through weekly contribution of Rs 50 each.G Balakrishnan, who is basically a goldsmith, heads the `Vettri Maatru Thiran Udayor Suya Uthavikkuzhu’ (Vettri Differently- abled Self Help Group). He told Express that they approached the District Rehabilitation Officer individually seeking his help for setting up the computer centre.However, the DRO advised them to start through collaborative effort for sustenance.“All of us agreed to it without giving any second thought and immediately formed the SHG. Everything was done under the guidance of the DRO who took pains to see that we got the funds for starting the computer centre.
The District Collector gave away a cheque for Rs 1 lakh as subsidy,” he said and added that the centre was launched three months ago.Jasmin, District Rehabilitation Officer, said that they were funded under the Income Generation Programme through State Welfare Board for Handicapped.The entire fund has been given away as subsidy facilitating them to develop further. She said they were planning to get them e-ticketing facility for railway reservation which would supplement their income.Mutharasi, a member of the group, wanted the Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner to consider their plea for extending data entry related work to them.