Mahila Mandal Barmer Agor

Name: Mr. Jeevraj Singh/ Ratan Singh
Age: 23 years
Name of the village: Pannia (11-12 kms from the main road)
Status: Economic Rehabilitation

This case study was conducted in Pannia village of Barmer District. Pannia village came into existence after the year 1971 when they migrated from Pakistan. Their nationality was soon accepted. As of today there are about 40 families, which count to approximately 250 people in the village. The village has serious issues like no proper roads, hardly any water, and many others.

The males of the village usually go to Gujarat for embroidery work and use that money for farming during that season. Due to bad infrastructure the people have to travel far and it even becomes difficult for the doctors and the auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) to visit the villages.

Mr. Jeevraj Singh is a visually impaired; 23 years old boy who now runs a “Kirana Shop” in the same village.

He was medically proved to be disabled at a young age of 5 years. Initially, not only his family but he too had taken the situation to be his fate and hence did not make any sort of efforts to be economically, physically, and mentally stable.

Then, like a miracle worker- Sight Saver’s Association, under the Comprehensive Eye Services; worked with him to build not only his confidence but also to improve his economic situation.

Today, the confidence in him has done him wonders. Mr. Jeevraj runs his own shop and has his own special techniques to recognize people and everything else. He recognizes money according to the size of the note and manages to give the proper change. His shop has a store of sugar, tea, gutka, supari, paan, beedi, dal, rice, agarbattis and some toffees.

When he started his shop he had goods worth Rs. 2400/- and now his shop has grown economically and has goods worth Rs. 5000/-. Mr. Jeevraj finds it very exciting and feels happy that his shop has grown over the two months that he was in this business. Mr. Jeevraj also gets a Viklaang Pension, which is a pension for the disabled.

Mr. Jeevraj suggests that such schemes should be provided to all types of disabled people so that even their confidence level increases and they too set goals to build a growing life like his. His goal is to own a big shop someday and sell the goods that are available in the metropolitan cities in India.

Here is the story of a person who has made a difference in his village and also in his own life. Mr. Jeevraj Singh- a person with goals, aspirations, and ample amount of confidence that would get him to the greatest heights in life.