Inmates’ creativity brightens their lives

Women to get a stall at Mahotsav to display creations that include designer candles, soft toys and embroidered dress material

LUCKNOW: As Sakshi (name changed), a mentally challenged girl wakes up every morning, enthusiasm is what rules her. She takes no time in getting ready, has her breakfast and sits down to make designer candles with her friends.

The days are busy. But she loves trying out new designs and patterns and experiment with the craft.

The inmates at the women shelter home on Prag Narayan Road are busy catering to Diwali orders when they came to know that they would get a stall at the Lucknow Mahotsav to display their creations.

The women have started sparing extra time to prepare the wares that would be displayed at the mega fair beginning in the state capital on November 25.

Arti Singh, superintendent at the shelter home, says: “The girls are really enthusiastic about the offer and are working hard on the collection that would be displayed at the Mahotsav.”

The collection would include soft toys, embroidered dress material and designer candles.

The 44-odd women inmates including destitutes, victims of crime and witnesses, have been undergoing vocational training in crafts since August. Experts from Mahila Polytechnic are conducting the training.

Madhumita (name changed), another inmate at the shelter home, shared, “Till now people would buy our creations from the home itself but the stall would surely give us a bigger platform. In addition to making our designs and crafts popular, the stall would also ensure us income.”

The money earned from the sale of crafts directly goes to the women inmates making them feel independent and confident.

“There are women who are mentally challenged and there are those who are perfectly fine. In such a case, we have divided them into groups depending on their capabilities for the various classes being held as part of the vocational training initiative,” said Singh.