Fulrani Kinlekar, who lives with her family in Pernem, recalls that she was born with a congenital disability “ she had no hands and legs. “Yes, I was born without any fingers and no toes, but I have arms till the elbow and legs just above the knees. My parents accepted me and fought for me, even as the elders of the family, in those days, thought that having a child with such a disability was not right. My mother did not listen to their beliefs and stood strong for me,” says Fulrani.
“As I was growing, my parents sent me to Old Goa at St Francis Xavier Training Centre for the Handicapped where I stayed for studies and gradually learned to manage myself. I did well and was awarded ‘Role Model’ back in my school days. I learned to write, type, and embroider in school. After my 12th, I returned home from school and then did computer courses and a diploma in financial accounting, Tally 9. Later on, to pass my time, I joined Facebook, made some friends. I had already mastered hand embroidery in school, and, to your surprise, I am able to do hand embroidery! Yes! With my two short arms, I am able to hold the thread and needle and design embroidery patterns and stitch small-sized clothes,” shares Fulrani.
“I made a lot of friends too. I was very curious about the sewing machine, so I had learned sewing by watching YouTube. Nobody trained me. Now I can do sewing by myself very well. My parents could not afford to buy a sewing machine due to financial problems. However, the kind and generous President of Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG), Avelino de Sa, helped me have an electronic stitching machine. Soon I learned to use it to stitch pillow covers, bed sheets, tablecloths, kerchiefs, towels, bags etc. I alter dresses, attach sleeves, do pico for sarees and attach saree falls,” quips Fulrani.
She adds, “I also began taking orders for jute bags and participated in exhibitions for selling my work. People actually gave a positive response, and I got good feedback.”
Fulrani’s only regret is that she cannot go out on her own. Her village is remote, and has connectivity issues. She misses a lot of opportunities due to this reason. “I cannot go out, for I need a vehicle to pick me up. Living in an interior area is difficult to make a living, especially for me. I miss out on a lot of opportunities because of this single reason,” admits Fulrani.
But she feels, “God watches. Some good people show up like angels, offering help. Without them, I would not be where I could reach today.”
“The State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Guruprasad Pawaskar, proved to be one such angel for me,” smiles Fulrani who had a dream of walking with prosthetic legs and this could be fulfilled because of him.
“Pawaskar, without informing, reached out to me on Facebook and contacted me and invited me for several workshops wherever there were camps for artificial limbs. Finally, I got the right support for prosthetic legs and my dream of walking in long legs came true!” she recalls.
Fulrani is very grateful to all those who helped her in different ways.
“You see, disability is not about right or wrong or what religion one is born in. It’s all about how you look at it. My parents didn’t give up on me based on the belief of the elders calling it wrong. It’s about caring and loving your own. Right now, my parents are growing old, and it sometimes is frustrating that they are still working. I feel bad that I cannot do anything to help them. If I would get some job or embroidery works without looking at the distance of my location, I would be humbled by any help received for helping me get work,” appeals Fulrani.
With dreams in her eyes, she wants to achieve the impossible and prove to the world that limbs are not the only thing to climb the ladder of success. Dreams can do it too.
