“I will prove that a person with disability is also capable of being independent.”
Seventeen-year-old *Pujan is from Nuwakot, a district north of Kathmandu in Nepal. He lives with his mother and older brother.
A few years ago, Pujan fell sick. His father left the family and with no financial support from her husband, Pujan’s mother couldn’t afford the hospital treatment he urgently needed. As a result, Pujan lost the use of one of his legs. He needed help to get to and from school, but when he got there he was teased by the other children. Eventually, he dropped out.
Shakti Samuha is one of our partners in Nepal. It is the first organisation in the world established and run by survivors of human trafficking, which is a big threat in this part of Nepal. Through education and training, they provide opportunities for people to help them avoid getting trapped in modern slavery.
When community volunteers from Shakti Samuha learnt of Pujan’s situation, they reached out and offered to help him. He told them that he wanted to learn tailoring, because it would give him a way to earn a living without having to stand up or leave his home.
With Shakti Samuha’s support, Pujan enrolled in a tailoring course and is currently completing training in Kathmandu. They also provided Pujan with crutches to have more mobility and independence.
“I am happy that I am getting tailoring training,” says Pujan. “I am grateful to Shakti Samuha for providing me this opportunity. I will prove that a person with disability is also capable of being independent. I want to open a tailor shop in my village and earn money.”
