Painting with his feet comes naturally to eighteen-year-old Manish of Barewal village in Punjabs Ludhiana District.
By Karan Kapoor
Barewal (Ludhiana), Aug.7 : Painting with his feet comes naturally to eighteen-year-old Manish of Barewal village in Punjab's Ludhiana District.
An initial victim of jaundice, Manish later suffered from cerebral palsy, a non-contagious non-progressive disease that causes physical disability. He manages to earn by selling some of his artefacts.
Physically challenged since he was one, Manish took to vocational training at "Ek Prayas", an institute for the differently-abled.
The NGO took the help of a physiotherapist to enable Manish to use his legs effectively in the performance of his daily chores. Today, he can stitch handkerchiefs, write in Hindi and English and design attractive posters with his feet.
"He was interested in painting, so we invited some artist here who gave him lessons in painting. We arrange some assignment or work so that he can earn some money through it," said Nivedita Manan, a member of "Ek Prayas".
"A few of our children are into making handkerchiefs, which we sell. One day, Manish requested me if he could try his hand at making one. I had my doubts initially, but he amazed everyone by making 400 of them during the summer vacations. We paid him the profit from their sales," Manan adds.
Manish says no one should ever lose hope and faith to achieve his or her goals in life.
His parents take pride in their son's ability to paint and stitch for hours.
"Manish is mentally very sound. He understands everything. His hands have been useless since his childhood, and hence, he does all his work with his feet," says Manish's father Durga Prasad.
About two per cent of the country's total population (over 1.27 billion people) comes under the disabled category, as per the 2001 Census of the government.
But help groups put the figure at five to six percent of the total population, or 50 to 60 million people.
In February 1996, the country brought into force The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995".
This law is an important landmark and is a significant step in the direction of ensuring equal opportunities for people with disabilities and their full participation in the nation building.
The Act provides for both preventive and promotional aspects of rehabilitation like education, employment and vocational training, job reservation, research and manpower development, creation of barrier-free environment, rehabilitation of persons with disability, unemployment allowance for the disabled, special insurance scheme for the disabled employees and establishment of homes for persons with severe disability.
ANI