<p>Chiranthana, a not-for-profit organisation, will launch its first store in Mathikere on June 3. The store, which will stock handmade products by people with special needs, aims to create employment opportunities for the community. </p>.<p>Called Aase, it is a part of the organisation’s employment initiative launched in 2022 with the aim of nurturing the vocational skills of<br />differently-abled individuals. </p>.<p>“We also run a special education school. When our students graduated, there was a big question mark and parents would often ask me, what now? To tackle this, we came up with Aase,” explains Rachana Prasad, founder and managing trustee.</p>.<p>The initiative focuses mainly on vocational training and has students in the age group 18 to 30. “With the help of ONGC Foundation, our donor, we set up a basic block printing unit and provided vocational skills training. This was open to our students and also other special needs individuals over 18 years of age. Post the three-month training, we gave them jobs,” she shares. </p>.<p>When asked the reason for choosing block printing, Rachana says, “We work mainly with intellectual disabilities, and such individuals need tasks that are relatively easy. Art provides them with an outlet. Block printing seemed like the right choice.” </p>.<p>So far, the team has trained about 15 students, who in addition to making the products will also be taking turns to work at the store. </p>.<p>At the store, one can find tote bags, kurtas, keychains, laptop bags, stoles, multipurpose pouches, candle holders and crochet toys. Lending a hand in making these products are mothers of special needs children from Chiranthana’s centre in Gubbi. “We learned that these women were good tailors and wanted to include them in the process. So all the stitching is done in Gubbi.<br />After that, our students in Bengaluru do the block printing,” she tells<em> Metrolife</em>. The products range from Rs 50 to Rs 1,200, and are also available for sale on their official website. </p>.<p>The organisation has also teamed up with various city-based non-profits and women’s organisations. “The store will also have products by these organisations. They are mostly organic, and include pickles and cold-pressed products,” she adds.</p>.<p><strong><span class="italic">Their journey</span></strong></p>.<p><span class="italic">Chiranthana was started by Rachana Prasad in 2007, and focused mainly on theatre productions for and by speciallyabled individuals. “We established the trust in 2013 and the special education school in 2019,” Rachana tells <em>Metrolife</em>. The school focuses on education, rehabilitation and vocational programmes and currently has 30 students. They have also established a centre in Gubbi.</span></p>.<p><em><span class="italic">Inauguration on June 3, 11 am, at Sunder Nagar, Mathikere. The store will be open Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 6.30 pm.</span></em></p>
<p>Chiranthana, a not-for-profit organisation, will launch its first store in Mathikere on June 3. The store, which will stock handmade products by people with special needs, aims to create employment opportunities for the community. </p>.<p>Called Aase, it is a part of the organisation’s employment initiative launched in 2022 with the aim of nurturing the vocational skills of<br />differently-abled individuals. </p>.<p>“We also run a special education school. When our students graduated, there was a big question mark and parents would often ask me, what now? To tackle this, we came up with Aase,” explains Rachana Prasad, founder and managing trustee.</p>.<p>The initiative focuses mainly on vocational training and has students in the age group 18 to 30. “With the help of ONGC Foundation, our donor, we set up a basic block printing unit and provided vocational skills training. This was open to our students and also other special needs individuals over 18 years of age. Post the three-month training, we gave them jobs,” she shares. </p>.<p>When asked the reason for choosing block printing, Rachana says, “We work mainly with intellectual disabilities, and such individuals need tasks that are relatively easy. Art provides them with an outlet. Block printing seemed like the right choice.” </p>.<p>So far, the team has trained about 15 students, who in addition to making the products will also be taking turns to work at the store. </p>.<p>At the store, one can find tote bags, kurtas, keychains, laptop bags, stoles, multipurpose pouches, candle holders and crochet toys. Lending a hand in making these products are mothers of special needs children from Chiranthana’s centre in Gubbi. “We learned that these women were good tailors and wanted to include them in the process. So all the stitching is done in Gubbi.<br />After that, our students in Bengaluru do the block printing,” she tells<em> Metrolife</em>. The products range from Rs 50 to Rs 1,200, and are also available for sale on their official website. </p>.<p>The organisation has also teamed up with various city-based non-profits and women’s organisations. “The store will also have products by these organisations. They are mostly organic, and include pickles and cold-pressed products,” she adds.</p>.<p><strong><span class="italic">Their journey</span></strong></p>.<p><span class="italic">Chiranthana was started by Rachana Prasad in 2007, and focused mainly on theatre productions for and by speciallyabled individuals. “We established the trust in 2013 and the special education school in 2019,” Rachana tells <em>Metrolife</em>. The school focuses on education, rehabilitation and vocational programmes and currently has 30 students. They have also established a centre in Gubbi.</span></p>.<p><em><span class="italic">Inauguration on June 3, 11 am, at Sunder Nagar, Mathikere. The store will be open Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 6.30 pm.</span></em></p>