Nandana was just 21 when she found her way to Adarsh. But she had a goal. She was single-minded in her decision to stand on her own feet and, what’s more, support her family. Now that should be nothing less than a far-fetched dream, especially for an individual with intellectual disability. But she was determined and how!
We reassured her and her family that together we would make her dream come true. Not surprisingly, convincing her father was difficult. How could he let his daughter walk into this big (bad?) world all on her own? Facing this competitive, ruthless, and often callous, world is a tough challenge for any young person. It is only natural that Nandana’s father was far more apprehensive than normal parents. But Nandana held on to her hope. So did we.
Intellectual disability is a condition where an individual’s limitations in mental abilities inhibit their intellectual abilities, social skills and everyday routines. But Nandana was unswerving. Slowly, steadily, gradually, she learnt the ropes of retail sales. In the meantime, Nandana’s father came around to see things her way. He saw the independent streak in his daughter and her confidence, and with constant reassurances from us, he decided to let Nandana forge her own path.
Young adults at Adarsh receive continuous professional support from its partner organisation MANN, a Mumbai based organisation that empowers adults with special needs, particularly those with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Mann provides personalised training in real workplace environments, along with essential life skills, helping them build the right abilities, confidence, and attitudes to engage in meaningful and suitable employment.
After months of training and confidence-building, Nandana is now employed at a hypermarket in Kochi. A special thanks to MANN for not only securing this opportunity for her but also ensuring she felt supported and settled in her new workplace. For a girl like her, this is a huge, almost impossible, hurdle that she has crossed. She’s a role model for many other youngsters who face similar disabilities. And her father is a role model for their parents.
The life that Nandana has chosen for herself is not an easy one. A significant share of her income is spent on transportation. However, Nandana’s challenge is not just financial. It is financial, physical, and social, and it is far more than that of a normal person starting with a new job.
