Kathmandu, April 26: Ram Chandra Karki, 35 is just like any other individual. Karki holds a job, lives with his family—a wife and their two children who go to Chelsea International at Mid Baneshwor to pursue their education. However, Karki distinguishes himself from the language he speaks—sign language.
For the past 10 years, Karki has been working as a waiter in The Bakery Café at New Baneshwor. While many differently-able people across the country are dependent to other people for their living, Karki earns a handsome salary, has his provident fund, medical insurance, food and education allowances, overtime money and so forth to make a living.
A sign language teacher who taught his fellows for eight years before joining the Café, Karki is glad to have an opportunity to eke out a living. “Initially it was difficult, probably because of my fears, but slowly and steadily, I learnt the knacks. I’ve grown with experience, and am very much content with my job,” Karki shares adding, “With age, I will surely be bidden a farewell, and then, I plan to open my own restaurant with other friends. For that, I’ve saved my earnings,” Karki shares. With such earning, Karki feels independent, and hopes that other institutions, too, come up with such initiations.
At a time when many ‘able’ people looked down upon differently able people, and when the term was ‘disabled people’ rather than the present one, the Bakery Café employed differently able people since 2052 BS. At present, the Café employs around 60 differently able people in its seven major outlets at New Baneshwor, Pulchowk, Jawlakhel, Boudha, Gwarko and Maharajgunj’s Bhatbhateni.
Nirmal Shah has been with the Bakery Café for the past 12 years. As a manager, Shah shares that there has been a lot of change regarding how able people look at those that are differently-able people. “Initially, many customers disliked when they were approached and served by differently able people. Now, that is no longer the case,” Shah shares, adding, “When we began the project, it was difficult because they were unaware of how they had to act."
“Only seldom can these people understand when a customer beats around the bush. Most don’t and they prefer direct communication because that is what they most easily understand,” Shah said.
Asmita Oli, 28 is another differently able waiter the Café at New Baneshwor employs to cater its services to customers. Oli has been working in the Café for the past nine years. Married around two years ago, Oli has a year old son. Like Karki, Oli is happy with what she is doing. Like Karki, Oli too, opines that she’d not be a part of the institution forever. When she leaves, she intends to work as a tailor. “I have experience with tailoring. I used to work as a tailor before too.” Oli shares.
While those employed are jubilant of the opportunity they have, many fall behind the race, and as a result, they still are dependent on others for their living. “Many come looking for a job, and it’s not always feasible,” Shah shares, adding qualifications too does matter.
“We choose people who have some degree of qualifications and prefer those who’ve completed their School Leaving Certificate or have studied up to grade 10,” Shah said, adding that the Café focused more with people who live beyond the valley. “Many differently able people from the valley have little problem for food and shelter. To it, there are a lot of unions that work for them. For this reason, we prefer people that are differently able in village areas,” Shah shares.
Shah explained that selected candidates were trained until they learnt the job’s skills, and would then be employed. Seeing that differently able people too can work, many cafes
and restaurants within the capital are employing them. “We’ve shown that disabled people too can work, and I do hope that other institutions, too, introduce differently able people in the job markets and help them be independent.”
“I’m little aware about sign language but I can communicate by pointing at what I want. I really appreciate what the Café is doing, and am happy with the service,” Sharawin Paudel, a customer at the Café said.
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