With the support of the British High Commission, CAN set up vocational training centres for persons with disabilities and their family members in two slums of south Delhi – Dakshinpuri and Kusumpuri Pahari.These centres were started from 1st September 2002.
Each centre is training twenty persons with disabilities and / or their family members to make glass paintings, handicrafts, stitching and embroidery items. Some of the items that are being made include greeting cards, kantha work bags in cotton and silk cloth, glass paintings (show pieces, sun catchers, and pendants), wall hangings, papier-mâché and hand made paper and jute objects (file folder, bags, magazines holders, envelopes, file covers) for official and personal use as well as photo frames, lanterns etc. Many of these items are made from old clothes and used paper with the intention of recycling.
The products made at these Centres are sold under the brand name of
CAN CRAFTS. The handicrafts are not only sold at retail outlets but orders are also taken to make personalized items. CAN has formed a consortium of trainers. Since CAN’s focus is on assisting the trainees to set up micro enterprises, finding markets for the products is an important activity. Research on making the products market friendly is carried out regularly. Value addition comes from design outputs from artists and product designers
.
In addition to providing training and empowerment to the disabled members of these slums, CAN also runs a pre-primary school at its Dakshinpuri Centre. In this school disabled children and their siblings are taught basic literacy skills. CAN also pushes for integrated education in the local municipal schools by advocating that the disabled children of the slum be given admission in their local schools with others.
J. Kundi's visit from APDA
Racheal, CAN's intern at VTC.
Teaching at Dakshinpuri.
