Survival alone is not enough
A visionary and his work
Not far from the tourist turmoil, in a small town an organization settled 30 years ago and since then has made it possible for 400 people with disabilities or impairments to live in the community. The KIDS is a catch basin for people on the edge of society and is well established and well-known in the South Indian region in Kottapuram. They received countless awards and merits for their successful social projects.
After a few calls, we actually got him on the phone and not only that, an invitation to visit on top of it. There is a lot going on in the small and paper-filled corridors in the office. Right at the beginning, he apologizes for the chaos in the office. "We have taken many people during the catastrophic flood, even in the office and in the corridors people slept. We are still changing and tidying up. " The otherwise busy Father Paul, the director of the organization, did not spare us time to show the whole operation in detail throughout the day. In the usual cup of tea, he talks about the many projects in which KIDS is involved. Many of them can be read on Facebook.
"Survival alone is not enough", he explains. "People must have a job, a place in society". And that's exactly what KIDS offers. Over 400 people are directly or indirectly connected to the KIDS, employed or accommodated.
"Survival alone is not enough", he explains. "People must have a job, a place in society". And that's exactly what KIDS offers. Over 400 people are directly or indirectly connected to the KIDS, employed or accommodated.
„We are building simple 2 bedroom houses, for homeless people. I would like to build a whole settlement of it. "
The actual business of KIDS is the production of wicker products in all shapes and colors. The entire processing process from the raw plant to the finished product takes place in the KIDS. The raw material, the Pine Fiber, is bought by locals in the area. It is a good side business for the local population because the plant grows like weeds here. „We wanted a raw material that is environmentally friendly and can be obtained up close." The plant is dried, dyed and intertwined in countless forms.
We visit the individual departments that are housed in other buildings throughout the area. The delivered material is dried and sorted in large halls. On the huge grounds, the people are well distributed at the works. A relaxed and familiar atmosphere among the primarily female workers is omnipresent.
Similar to Charaka, the effluent of the dyeing is purified by a natural process before it is discharged.
In the weaving countless ladies sit on the floors and weave a variety of shapes and colors.
We visit the individual departments that are housed in other buildings throughout the area. The delivered material is dried and sorted in large halls. On the huge grounds, the people are well distributed at the works. A relaxed and familiar atmosphere among the primarily female workers is omnipresent.
Similar to Charaka, the effluent of the dyeing is purified by a natural process before it is discharged.
In the weaving countless ladies sit on the floors and weave a variety of shapes and colors.
„It's no use giving money to people. It is better that they have a mission in life".
The credo is lived by the visionary. He can name special treatments for special cases of his employees - whoever needs them gets them. Profitability keeps him worried, profit does not put off production because the workers' efficiency is significantly impaired and many need additional supervision and care. Local donations fill the gaps. Her fair trade certificate expired last year, but it's still a bit dusty next to one of the countless awards KIDS has received for its social services.
