Where dreams blossom: Woman helps disabled get jobs

BENGALURU: Viresh Maranavasa, 23, couldn’t finish college having failed in two subjects. Basuraj, 30, pursued a course to hone his computer skills but failed to land a job. Disheartened and directionless, the duo, both differently abled, was looking for a purpose in life. Thanks to NS Hema, 76, they have found one.
Hema, who is wheelchair-bound herself, is the founder of an organization which helps the disabled make a living through horticulture.For 56 years, she has been striving to give them a life of dignity and self-respect.
It began almost six decades ago, when Hema attended a training programme for the differently abled in Mumbai. Deeply inspired by the initiative, she decided to help others sharing her plight. Her dream was realized when The Association of People with Disability (APD) was born in 1959. What began as a modest set-up providing small employment opportunities (tailoring, embroidery) to the differently abled, has flourished into a larger organization today. In 1989, it was registered as an NGO at Lingarajpuram.
“I wanted to make them (differently abled) feel comfortable and productive. Being close to nature made them happy. I wish more companies absorb such persons to provide them a permanent source of livelihood,” said Hema, adding that many have never seen a proper toilet or bed. “When some of them first came to the association, they would stare at their reflection in the mirror, elated at having worn a uniform,” said Hema, who lives in Malleswaram with her family.
In 2002, she got 5 acres of land on lease from the government where she started a full-fledged horticultural training centre for men. So far, more than 2,000 differently abled persons have been trained and placed with various companies.
The initiative has benefiited many like Basuraj and Viresh. Basuraj, from Bagalkot district in north Karnataka, came to Bengaluru to gain expertise in horticulture. “I was sitting idle at home. My computer training failed to fetch me a job. With the help of an organization in my village, I got to know of APD,” he said.
After dropping out of college, Viresh joined his father to work at a farm but he knew his calling lay somewhere else. He felt the job didn’t give him the respect he deserved. “I was demoralized and wanted to do something more meaningful. I found great joy in horticulture. I plan to work in Bengaluru for some years before starting my own nursery with my father,” said Viresh.
The organization provides food, accommodation and other basic amenities to the disabled. They have to undergo six months of training in order to get a job. “We are funded by individuals and corporates but we need more support from people. We try to convince corporates to employ these persons to maintain their gardens. We are organizing our annual garden fair right now and look forward to higher footfalls. Most of the beneficiaries are placed in landscaping companies, nurseries and flower shops. At present, around 10 small-scale companies recruit our trainees. We hope giant corporates come on board,” said Jyoti R, in-charge of the association.
That the initiative has come a long way is apparent. Look at Chennaya, 19, and the gratitude in his eyes is hard to miss. Among last year’s batch of trainees, Chennaya has bagged a job with an agro company. “I am promoting horticulture among other disabled people in my neighbourhood so that even they can live a life of dignity,” said Chennaya.
APD also has training centres for women and children.
Change in perspective
In my village, there is no respect for the differently abled; we are considered worthless. People are reluctant to make us a part of their social circle. But now when I go to the village, they take advice from me on how to take care of their farms
Yamanappa, beneficiary with locomotor disability