Training in cycle assembly and repair at Thiruvallur

Training in Cycle Assembly and Repair, Thiruvallur
From 27.6.2011 To 30.6.2011
In association with IRCDS, Vasantham Federation and TI Cycles

Program Report
About the Training

Sukriti’s training in bicycle assembly and repair is a skill-based training program which has self-employment and employment potential for the differently abled. We select orthopedically challenged and hearing impaired persons for this particular training. Mr. Gangadharan, the trainer from TI Cycles, has experience training differently abled persons, including visually challenged.
Sukriti Social Foundation has already conducted two such training programs earlier – the first in association with Cheshire Home, Chennai and the second with Amar Seva Sangam, Tirunelveli. After the two trainings, 2 candidates were successfully employed and 3 candidates set up their own shops.
In Thiruvallur, Sukriti conducted training in bicycle assembly and repair with TI Cycle’s support. For this training, Sukriti partnered IRCDS, Thiruvallur and Vasantham Federation, the CBO that IRCDS has built for the differently abled. Vasantham Federation mobilized candidates and offered space to deliver the training.
Profiles of Organisations'

IRCDS: Integrated Rural Community Development Society (IRCDS) is a multi-faceted development organisation in existence since 1986. One of its programs works with differently abled people’s needs through a CBO-driven model. The CBO is Vasantham Federation. While searching for potential partners, Sukriti identified IRCDS and initiated contact to impart training to differently abled candidates through them.
VASANTHAM FEDERATION: In existence for around 9 years, Vasantham Federation has about 1000 differently abled members. They mostly help differently abled persons to get ID cards, mobility aids etc. A large part of the work they do is to facilitate the access or delivery of government programs. Apart from helping the differently abled, they also help locals in getting a ration card etc.
Mr. Livingston heads Vasantham Federation for the last four years.
By end-March, we received a list of candidates by e-mail. On 9th April, our staff member Kannan went to Vasantham Federation’s office to meet the prospective candidates.
By June 27th it was decided to conduct a d-day training program for 12 candidates in Vasantham Federation’s premises in Thiruvallur.

Profiles of Candidates
The names of the 12 candidates and their details follow:
1. M.E. Mani, aged 50. Has hearing impairment and works as a tailor. He also works in Vasantham Federation. Married, Mani has 2 grown up children.
2. P. Sekar, aged 48. He is orthopedically challenged and one of his legs is affected due to ailment. According to him, after treatment he couldn’t walk as his nerves in that leg was damaged. Works as a labourer in a beer manufacturing company. Married, Sekar has 2 grown up children.
3. D. Amos, aged 40. He is orthopedically challenged and one of his legs is affected because of post treatment issues. He works as church pastor. Married, Amos has 2 school going kids.
4. T. Venkatesan aged 35. His legs were affected due to polio. Has prior experience in cycle assembling. He is interested in setting up a cycle shop. Has no family support and lives alone. Currently doing some job work stitching cushion material for furniture.
5. M. San basha aged 33. He is also orthopedically challenged. One of his legs is affected by polio but he doesn’t use calipers or crutches. He attended only the first day’s training.
6. M. Madhavan aged 27. He is orthopedically challenged and has one leg affected by polio. The disability is mild and he doesn’t use calipers or crutches. A native of Andhra Pradesh, he doesn’t speak Tamil very well. He works in a factory in Renigunta.
7. A. Livingston aged 28. He is orthopedically challenged; both of his legs are affected by polio. He doesn’t use calipers or crutches and hardly crawls as most of the time somebody carries him and he sometimes uses wheel chairs. He heads Vasantham Federation for the differently abled, for the past 4years. Earlier, he said, he was working as a cashier in a college. He studied till Class 10 and recently got married.
8. V. Mohan raj aged 32. He is orthopedically challenged and has one leg affected due to polio. He doesn’t use calipers or crutches. He is unemployed and lives with his family.
9. M. Venkatesan aged 32. He is both orthopedically challenged and hearing impaired. Has a small provision shop. Didn’t complete training just attended first day training.
10. N. Dhamodharan aged 28. He is orthopedically challenged; both of his legs are affected by polio. He uses both calipers and crutches. He is a graduate, has worked in a data-based BPO and also knows physiotherapy. Currently works in a government project and earns Rs. 1000 a month.
11. B. Gnana Parimalan aged 32. He is orthopedically challenged and has metal plating in one of his arms. He works in Vasantham Federation as a volunteer.
12. J. Karunamoorthy aged 26. He is orthopedically challenged and has mild disability in one of his leg, which was affected from birth. Works in Vasantham Federation.

Report of the Cycle Assembly Training
This training was conducted by Mr. Gangadharan from TI Cycles India Pvt. Ltd.
On the first day, the trainer started with theoretical training, using a chart which had each and every part in a cycle marked. Photocopies of the same were given to all candidates. This was done to familiarize the trainees with a cycle and its components. Two cycles were also used in the training, one a gent’s cycle and the other, a lady’s cycle.
On the second day, the gent’s cycle was disassembled and the trainees were taught how to assemble the cycle. Each and every candidate was asked to assemble the cycle not once but more than two times. All candidates worked in pairs to disassemble and assemble the cycle. On the same day, the names of different tools were taught and then the trainer showed the participants how to use the tools.
Third day the ladies cycle was disassembled and assembled. While a pair of candidates worked assembling ladies' cycle another pair assembled mens' cycle. On this day difference in male and female version cycle explained.
Fourth and final day fixing tyre puncture and fixing wheels (fixing spokes)were taught.
After this, the 10 candidates who attended the training on all four days were given a certificate from TI Cycles.
Certificates were given by Mr. Titus, Secretary of IRCDS and the day’s events were attended by Mr. S. Swaminathan, Trustee, Sukriti Social Foundation.

Going forward:
The next step is to identify candidates interested in opening a cycle shop. Once a candidate is identified, he will be sent to one of TI Cycles dealers to work there for at least two months. After that, if we see signs of the candidate sustaining interest, Sukriti will give the candidate 2 cycles and a tool kit to set up a cycle shop.
From this batch of trainees, Mr. T. Venkatesan was willing to open a shop. We will complete the process of empowering him in the coming days.

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