Visually Impaired Women Makes “Choolpookkalam” Or Designer Brooms For Onam
On the occasion of Onam, a project is introduced by 15 visually challenged women, which is named "Choolala" - the making of designer brooms.
On the occasion of Onam, 15 Women from Kerala who work at the Kerala Federation Of The Blind Rehabilitation For Women, surprised everyone by making designer brooms, sitting on the verandah of the federation.
Social Entrepreneur Lakshmi Menon who Introduced the Project ‘choolala’ or the making of designer brooms said, “It takes them a day to complete a frame.” Ms Menon is the founder of Pure Living which works toward finding sustainable livelihood solutions. The women live in the organisation’s hostel on Pothanicad Chathamattom Road in Ernakulam. Furthermore, she also stated, “Earlier the women were weaving plastic tape in wooden chairs, which was laborious and took almost three to four days to complete. Compared to that this is faster and easier on their fingers. They can weave as many as 15 to 20 pieces in a day.”
Their hands move gingerly as they pick thick yarn from a mound before them. Slowly, they weave it through a small malleable metal frame. At times, they miss a wire. Once the frame is woven, they insert a short dried palm leaf through the loops. Finally, the metal frame is folded around the sticks and a neat broom is ready.
She also admitted that there are visible imperfections in the weave but “this irregularity is the beauty. It has to be appreciated and not thought of as a mistake.” According to her, they are elevating the regular broom into an artisanal broom category, which is a much-valued and niche segment. “It will not only be a sign of the work done by our visually challenged sisters but also of the colour it has added to their lives.”
The product will have a Braille version of the logo, and priced at ₹499, will be retailed online.
Credits: The Hindu
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- Shyma
