Having a disability is never a choice, but sadly it is a trait which can prematurely determine the success of the individual. This is visible in North America, with the subminimum wage legally given to individuals with downs syndrome (National Down Syndrome Society). In other cases, we see the recent integration of sign language training for health care professionals to accurately assist patients with hearing loss (Eldridge v. British Columbia, 1997). All of this being understood, we must strive to acknowledge how disability discrimination can be amplified in countries like India.

Poverty is kind of like an overruling theme in India, with roughly 300 million people living below the poverty line, it definitely finds its ways to seep through every single infrastructure in the country, damaging and hindering progress of the entire population. This is evident when we look at education rates, which are directly indicative to employment opportunities later on. India has made attempts to improve inclusivity for disabled children in the past, passing the Integrated Education of Disabled Children (IEDC) act in 1975, which worked towards integrating those with mild to moderate disabilities into regular classes with financial aid (Sharma, 2005). However, this initial attempt like the many which followed were unsuccessful, as the UN reported that 75% of children with disabilities have never attended school a day in their lives in 2019 (UNESCO Office New Delhi).

To help combat this, Dr. Bickert went to one of the only 388 hearing impaired schools in India. This is where he met a Jyoti, who at the time was in the eleventh grade, she is almost completely deaf. At the school, Dr. Bickert stood in front of every student, and asked “what do you want to do when you grow up?” with a mixture of recently learnt sign language, and some help from the teachers. Notably, only Jyoti replied, “a tailor” she said, a trade which India is famously known for with an array of designs and patterns being visibly splattered across the streets of every large city in the country. The industry is vast and has a lot of room for more to begin working in it. However, with the added of difficulty of communicating with someone who has an hearing impairment combined with the fact that many women who are buying the clothing are often not educated enough to read, many are unwilling to put up with the extra inconvenience to provide them with any real business.

Looking back, it is understandable that the other kids didn’t have an answer for many reasons which had been drilled into their minds from a young age. All children have a dream, but sadly these were minimized with reoccurring comments made to them from those who surround them on a daily basis. In an impoverished area, such as the one the school was in, in Lucknow, it can be devastating to the family if the child is born with a disability, turning them into more if a liability instead of a source of hope. While parents always want best for their child, it can be incredibly difficult to assist your own son or daughter that needs special attention to reach their goals when you can barely afford to put food on the table.  Those who wanted to become astronauts, surgeons, lawyers, are automatically written off, as there is no one like them in those positions publicly, little to no help getting an education, and a general sense of inferiority. This leads them to accept the idea that they will be limited to small odd jobs, or work on farms, just as their families have been, further continuing unable to break out of poverty.

This makes Jyoti a rare case, her bravery in her comment in front of the other students led CFTW to provide her with her own sewing machine, some tools, cloths, and some educational books to help her get started. We hope with her courage to be vocal and work towards her goals, the other students in the school can become inspired and realize they too have a chance, despite what the general public may say. The connection between poverty and disability remains strongly correlated in the country, with poverty often leading to an increased amount of disability, and in return disability continuing poverty in a cyclical manner (Rao, 2009). We here at CFTW believe that children such as Jyoti, are the cure for this issue.

November 23, 2018

In the fall of 2018, I travelled to Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh in response to an invitation. Most of the Uttar Pradesh rural area is served by farmers work small farms to provide a living for their families.  On the visit to Lucknow, I visited St. Francis School for the Hearing Impaired.  It was a visit that has a lasting impact on me.  

Ninety students gathered excitedly and waited for more than an hour for me to complete treating patients brought to the school.

A large room contained more than 90 students gathered to present a dance and ask guest questions through a sister translating for me using sign language.

I was told by the sister who started the dance music that the music was solely for my purpose since they could not hear it at all.

Following the dance, a student raised his hand and asked, "Do they have deaf people in Canada?"

I then asked the assembled students, "Does anyone know what they want to be when they finish school."

A long silence was followed by a girl at the back of the room stood and announced, "I want to be a tailor."

"Great, I responded, do you sew now?"  

The sister, signing to the students at my side, quickly told me they are a very poor family.

The girl said, "No, I don't have a sewing machine."

I felt a little more than plain stupid. "Ok, you have one now.  We will buy you one."

It was a promise that I intended to keep; I offered money for a sewing machine to my host, who had arranged to take me to the school.  He refused to accept the money and insisted that he would buy the machine and arrange delivery to the girl.

I had no idea what was the girl's name.  I just trusted my promise would be kept.

Second Trip to Lucknow - November 2019

After travelling 23 hours from Calgary to India, I had 4 hours; to rest, shower, and be driven to the New Delhi train station.  I was once again heading to Lucknow, about a 6-hour train ride.

I asked about the girl who wanted to be a tailor, and they told me that she graduated, left the school, and the school administration had changed.  The potential tailor still had no sewing machine, and now I had no idea how to find her.  We visited a leper colony on this trip and did not return to St. Francis School for the H.I.

It bothered me that the young lady had not received her sewing machine.  In rural Uttar Pradesh, a poor family would have little chance of acquiring a sewing machine. The girl's aspirations of being a tailor would likely not be realized without sewing practice and instruction.

Who was that girl?  - November 2020

I wrote to Bishop John Mathias and asked about providing Christmas gifts to the now 130 students at the school and requested a list of the students and age levels.  I also asked if he could track down the girl to whom I promised a sewing machine.

He did!  The Bishop found the girl's name and contact details.  I now can keep the promise made to her two years ago.

Her name was Jyoti.  She lived in a rural village about a 4-hour drive north of Lucknow.

I ordered a sewing machine, and we had contacts from Jalandhar drive more than 20 hours overnight to visit her and show her how to operate the machine.

Jyoti has a 90% hearing loss.  She is one of 7 children who live in very rudimentary housing in the village.  She has two brothers and four sisters.  Two of her sisters suffer from learning challenges.  Girls in rural Uttar Pradesh have tremendous challenges without suffering any special needs.  Here is a family with three girls who have special challenges.

Jyoti and her family are happy to have a sewing machine. 

Plans are underway to find suitable training for Jyoti in the art of tailoring.

ANOTHER CFTW SUCCESS!  

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