Janajagran Library is Now Becoming a New Hope to Person with Disabilities

Shailendra Timalsina is a 26 years resident of Kumari, Belkotgadi with at birth disability of hearing. He lives with a family of 7 including father, mother, 2 brothers and 2 sister-in-laws. He has completed grade 7 with sign language. He used to spend most of his time helping his family on farming. Before joining in the library his daily life was passing in farm and living alone at home. He did not prefer to go and enjoy outside due to the lack of sign language interpreter. The library did not have any programs targeted to or inclusive of people with disabilities

“The inclusive programs from the library have helped me become more confident and social. The sign language interpretation aspect has made it easier to understand and get knowledge from the programs. I have been visiting library  and also participating in Library activities more frequently. The library has become an excellence centre to me because library has been providing the best platform and opportunities to me and my friends who are person with disabilities. My family has also realized that when I started visiting library his face has become charming and happy so nowadays my family encourages me to visit the library.”

The Problem

The lack of activities, programs and knowledge materials inclusive of people with hearing disability made him feel excluded from everyone. He wanted to learn but had no escape points to go to. He was not confident at all in himself and people around were not helpful so he had to reside talking to himself, family and few friends.

The Change

He is very happy and actively participating because Janajagaran Community library has started to implement inclusive project including person with disability and inclusive community based Disaster Risk Reduction. Nowadays, he often visits library and participates in different program activities utilising his free time.  He has been involved in many trainings and events like International Day for Disaster Reduction, International Day for Person with Disability, Social Mobilization Training, Project Orientation, Sustaining enterprise management training and Earthquake Safety Day using sign language interpreter. He also got opportunity to attend basic computer training conducted in the library.

The Impact

He happily participates more actively and frequently in inclusive programs conducted by the library. His family is very supportive of him visiting the library as he was happy and cherished his time there. He became a member of Publicity and Public relation sub- committee of the library. His active participation has motivated and encourages him to become more confident in his life. The "Reconstruction of Janajagaran Community Library and Inclusive Community Based DRR in Kumari" project emphasizes and encourages participation and mainstream focus on person with disabilities in library entire program. So person with disabilities can do anything and their thinking has been changing and empowering like to other person without disabilities. Given proper opportunities to person with disabilities can prove to be fruitful for not only for them but also for the community and also motivate to more people to learn and perform anything.