Bhubaneswar: Twenty-five-years ago when Chumki Datta, an advertising professional from Kolkata, made Bhubaneswar her home little did she know that life would throw up challenges she least expected. She not only stood strong and weathered the storms in her life but has now extended a helping hand to the intellectually disabled, putting them on the path of economic empowerment.

“An accident in 2003 paralysed me from the waist down. I have been wheelchair-bound since. Within six to seven years of the incident, my husband, who was my caregiver passed away. Fate dealt a body blow to me but I did not give up on my dreams,” said Chumki, who has now stepped into her 50s.

Her dreams led to the birth of Vriddhi training-cum-production centre, an SHG, in December 2017. Operating from the National Career Service Centre for Differently abled under ministry of labour and emploment, Vriddhi trains people with disability, particularly those with intellectual disability, in making soaps and handmade paper bags. She was handed over the responsibility by the government that was looking for a business organisation for the disabled as she was already working for them. The government provided the space and equipment required for the unit.
At present, the organisation makes seven varieties of natural handmade soaps —honey oats, honey haldi, besan haldi, petals, chandan haldi, aloe vera and neem. Priced between Rs 60 and Rs 85, the soaps come in the shape of regular soap bars or in the shape of roses and sold in the market.
These soaps are made by 12 to 13 intellectually disabled young adults, aged 18- 25, and supervised by six to seven parents and an orthopaedically-handicapped person.
“These children are very receptive to instructions,” said Sanjukta Patnaik, 64, whose 34-year-old son is involved in soap making. The young adults are also happy coming out of the confines of their homes and working with their friends. “The profits are distributed among the young adult workers. The economic empowerment has boosted their confidence,” said Patnaik.
Vriddhi has also forayed into making incense sticks, scented candles, notebooks of handmade paper and “badis” of two different flavours. Before Vriddhi came into being, Datta worked as an entrepreneur in city beautification and doing up the interiors of the Tribal World showroom. She has won a national award for being a successful self-employed person with locomotor disability in 2017 and Anjali award in 2019.