Daijiworld Media Network – Kadaba (MS)

Kadaba, May 16: A youth, defying his physical disabilities, has become a role model to others by earning his livelihood through making wicks at home.

Manoj (24), the son of Bhaskara Gowda and Revathi, residents of Pallatadka in Renjilady village of the taluk, has a 75% disability in his waist, hand, and body. He has already undergone nine surgeries. Manoj has passed SSLC and PUC with a first-class score. He wants to be self-reliant and has found success in what he is doing now.

Manoj’s father works as a daily wage laborer, and his mother is a homemaker. Manoj started goat and poultry farming to begin his self-reliant life. He has four goats and some hens.

In addition to goat and hen farming, Manoj attended a program that provided information on self-employment for differently-abled people. He received training in the wick manufacturing unit of Alangaru. Later, he got trained in operating the machine that manufactures wicks for lamps. He also bought an electrically operated wick manufacturing machine and began wick manufacturing at home.

Tudar company, which provided the machine to Manoj, supplies the cotton for wick manufacturing. Manoj sells the ready-to-sale wicks to the company or where there is demand. His parents and grandmother also cooperate in his work. Manoj says that he has good demand from various areas.

Manoj’s mother, Revathi, said that the government provides various facilities for differently abled people to lead a self-reliant life. However, they did not get a loan to buy a wick manufacturing machine. At last, they had to take money from private lenders to buy the machine.

Manoj said, “I have begun manufacturing wicks as per the information I got in a program. My family members are also supporting me.”

Revathi, the mother of Manoj, said, “Though my son Manoj has a 75% physical disability, he wants to lead an independent life. He began hen and goat farming. Now he learned to make wicks for lamps. We all are helping him in his venture.”