Thirty-year-old Sahitya Srinivasa Prasad presides over a space in Thiruvanmiyur that has created an empowering environment for adults like him
Thirty-year-old Sahitya Srinivasa Prasad presides over a space in Thiruvanmiyur that has created an empowering environment for adults like him
It started as a small dream of opening a bakery, but has grown larger than any possible hope its founder Sahitya Srinivas Prasad, now 30 years old, would have entertained. It provides a livelihood – not to mention a sense of purpose – to adults like him.
Srinivas is on the spectrum, having been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and echolalia at the age of two. That’s not all. He was born with post-hepatic cirrhosis of the liver; And partial complex convulsive seizures and glycogen storage disorders—type IV health burdens—were part of what they had to carry with the word go. When children his age were staring at toys in the supermarket, he was becoming accustomed to the sights and sounds of hospital wards. Srinivas was expected to live only five years and a maximum of seven years. But he clearly wasn’t listening to the grim forecast. He overcame and beat many odds to get to where he is now, and in the process set some unlikely records.
In 2008, he became the first student to complete 10th from NIOS after being on ventilator for more than 8 weeks. Relying on a ventilator for such a long period of time resulted in partial amnesia and loss of independent motor abilities. He completed his 12th from Vidya Sagar, a special school for the disabled in Kotturpuram.
“I want to bake. I want to start a bakery. I will name it Sai Bakery. I will find my friends and we will do it together. This is what Sahitya told me after completing 12th standard. Naturally, I was really excited. I could finally use all these years of experience to support him,” says Dr. Sumitra Prasad, Srinivas’s mother and founder of the Dorai Foundation (the areas where the Dorai Foundation operates). women empowerment, advocacy, transgender welfare, counseling for youth, and empowerment of tribal communities).
“His father and I were ready to set up a bakery that would be of great benefit, but he decided against it. He wanted the bakery to be on the premises of our stay, where he and his friends could work together. That society All Inclusive (SAI) Bakery was established in 2013. Sumitra notes that SAI Bakery has inspired similar neighborhood initiatives in Leh, Ladakh and Punjab, to name a few.
SAI Bakery will grow at the SAI Center in Thiruvanmiyur. Supported by the Dorai Foundation, the Sai Center seeks to provide a platform for adults with special needs to learn life skills, learn to socialize and contribute to society.
“There are many organizations that provide early intervention and care to special children but not many for adults. Here, we try to boost their confidence and self-esteem by offering them regularly, integrating therapy ,” says Sumitra.
They begin their day with Shakti Yoga, followed by art therapy (creative engagement programme), a ‘sharing and caring’ session (shared lunchtime), a cycling activity, dance, music, sports and finally a gardening activity. it occurs.
SAI Creations, through their upcycling initiative, they creatively reuse old plastic bottles, newspapers and cardboard. They also make cloth bags and laminated cards which are usually distributed after events as ‘thank you’ gifts.
SAI Nursery is another initiative where they learn about nature and gardening.
Sumitra mentions that “there are many different textures involved in all of these activities. Autistic people are sensitive to touch so these activities affect them greatly.”
Srinivas has been successful in creating an empowering space for adults like himself.
Sumitra says, “Earlier, Anand used to hardly talk to anyone. Now he is friends with all the people of the center. He also sings and dances with them. Earlier Shamina was always in need of her mother’s side, she didn’t even go to the toilet herself, now she herself travels to the center which is an achievement in itself. Anjana has recently completed her college studies. We have got many success stories. They have been with us and when they felt they were empowered enough and had all the social skills required to go out in the society, they left. And I’m happy for them.” I
Sahitya Srinivas Prasad with his mother Sumitra Prasad. photo credit: special arrangement