Life Story of Kalmesha Enigara
“To create a lasting impact in the lives of persons with disabilities, the Deal Foundation is working with differently-abled individuals and women, focusing on skill development in every taluk. The goal is to develop livelihood, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills required by persons with disabilities, fostering an ecosystem for role models and model enterprises to evolve and thrive.”
The Deal Foundation is aiding individuals with disabilities and women through the provision of technical training and financial literacy. The organization actively engages with the community to comprehend the genuine needs of people with disabilities, employing the four models of Empower, Engage, Execute, and Exit.
Kalmesh Basavaraj Enigara, a resident of Konchigeri village in Shirahatti taluk, faces physical disabilities with his left hand completely disabled. Despite being born without any issues, he grew up as the cherished only son of his parents in the midst of poverty. Unable to attend high school after completing the 7th grade in a government school, Kalmesh’s mother supported the family by working as a hairdresser. Unfortunately, his father left the family due to ingrained attitudes. In the face of these challenges, Kalmesh’s mother found herself in a difficult position. The community often subjected Kalmesh to harsh words, but undeterred by societal prejudices, he raised his son with the same care as any other child. Both Kalmesh and his mother worked as laborers to make ends meet. Despite the hardships, Kalmesh managed to lead a happy life alongside his mother.
As time passed, Kalmesh faced increasing economic challenges, prompting him to seek employment in Kerala for additional wage work. Unfortunately, during his work there, his hand became entangled in a machine, resulting in a severe injury to his entire left hand. With the support of his mother and Kalmeshwar’s friends, he was promptly taken to the hospital for treatment. His mother was deeply concerned, as her son, who played a crucial role in supporting the family, had suffered such an unfortunate incident. Despite the initial struggles, Kalmesh began working from home at a young age, aided by his mother. Slowly but steadily, he recovered and adapted to his new circumstances. For a period, he grappled with emotional pain. However, realizing that being idle would burden his mother, he took up labor work in someone else’s field. By doing so, he lightened his mother’s load to some extent. Through divine grace, Kalmesh’s life continued with resilience and determination.
As a result, Kalmesh’s financial situation improved. He later enjoyed a happy family life with two daughters and a son. Motivated by his growing success, he invested in a camera worth one lakh and began taking orders for wedding ceremonies, expanding his photography business. With careful management, he was able to achieve a profit of 10,000 rupees after deducting all expenses for a wedding. However, Kalmesh faced a limitation—he lacked the skill to design photos. Consequently, he outsourced the photo album design to someone else. His aspiration is to acquire proficiency in photo designing, establish an even larger store, and create job opportunities for people with disabilities, like himself. He envisions empowering disabled individuals and gaining recognition for their contributions in society.
Rekha Maddi, the Development Officer for Livelihood in Shirahatti taluk associated with the Deal Foundation, identified Kalmesh and provided comprehensive information about the foundation’s activities. Learning about Deal Foundation’s work, Kalmesh appreciated its mission of assisting differently-abled individuals. The organization has since been supporting him in his goal to help others with disabilities.
With Rekha’s assistance, Kalmesh collaborated with other differently-abled individuals to establish the ‘Sri Gajan’s Self Help Society for the Disabled.’ Kalmesh personally manages all responsibilities within this association, and Deal Foundation has provided comprehensive training to its members. The primary objective of forming the Self Help Society is to secure a grant from the panchayat for the construction of a community hall benefitting disabled individuals in surrounding villages. The society aims to offer training and employment opportunities for the disabled, while also dispelling misconceptions about their capabilities. Kalmesh initiated this society with the intent of showcasing that disabled individuals are equally capable. Moreover, Kalmesh aspires to secure a loan through the collaboration of Deal Foundation, utilizing the association’s resources to acquire a drone camera. This ambitious plan aims to enable the disabled members to undertake various photography projects independently. Rekha has diligently prepared all the necessary documentation to facilitate the association’s loan application from the bank.
Kalmesh stands as a compassionate individual, driven by the belief that we should support the disabled members of our community. The Deal Foundation has been instrumental in providing Kalmesh and the disabled individuals in our town with the promise of a future. When we were unsure about how to establish a union for people with disabilities, Rekha guided us to form our own association, securing grants from both the Panchayat and the Deal Foundation.The Deal Foundation, through Rekha, not only granted us the necessary financial support but also offered numerous job training sessions and valuable information about available facilities for people with disabilities. On behalf of the disabled community in our town, I express heartfelt gratitude to the Deal Foundation and Rekha for their unwavering support.We acknowledge that the Deal Foundation aspires to create sustainable livelihoods for people with disabilities on a broader scale, and we join hands in their efforts to establish success models. We sincerely hope that the Deal Foundation continues to make strides, bringing enlightenment and progress to the lives of people with disabilities.
In this manner, the Deal Foundation is undertaking a heartwarming mission that resonates with disabled individuals in every taluk. If you have any specific questions regarding this blog or need assistance, please feel free to contact us at Info@deal-Foundation.com. For more details about the impactful work we do, you can visit our website at www.deal-foundation. Thank you for your support.
