I know these girls are capable of so much more if only given the opportunity and resources, but I was honored to have met a beautiful group of ladies who had mobility disabilities or were deaf/hard of hearing on the RDT campus. Many of these women skated around on the ground on four-wheeler wooden boards like what I used to do when I lived in the orphanage. I got to see their beautiful embroidery 🧵, sewing, and jewelry making. When I met them in the RDT handcraft building, they told me they were on a tight deadline to make 5,000 dolls to export to Spain. They also make bracelets and earrings for the Indian as well as the Spanish market.
In the morning, I also had the opportunity to meet an organization organized by and for people with disabilities with the help of RDT. Each member contribute a modest sum to the group so that if there is ever an emergency, they can take out a loan when disaster strikes. It is a form of micro-loan.
Some of these ladies have taken out loans to purchase sheep to sell milk or fur. During the conversation, I casually mentioned that it would be nice to see the sheep. This is when I learned a lesson of being careful of what I wish for and say in public, because suddenly, a scraggly man looking like he was from the Stone Age brought out two little lamb 🐑!! It was quite the sight.
Even though I am often reluctant to share my story, I am glad I had the opportunity to share a small part of my story with them. The energy and strength they drew from it was surprising to me. Namaste to this wonderful group and may they grow stronger and bigger in number each year.
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