PRITIKA Vandana Nandani has faced her own share of challenges as a single parent to a special needs child, but despite this, she offers sage words of advice to other single mothers caring for a special needs child.
Ms Nandani and her 16-year-old daughter Krishal Kavita, who was born with cerebral palsy, reside at the Koroipita community in Lautoka.
She has been a single mother for 10 years now.
“These disabled kids motivate us, they teach us how to live our life, so seeing how they’re struggling motivates us to help them to live a normal life,” Ms Nandani said.
While the task of financially supporting special needs children may seem strenuous, Ms Nandani said it was important to keep an open mind when caring for them.
“All the single moms who have disabled kids, please, don’t dishearten them.
“Make them strong, love them, so they can be happy like my daughter.”
Ms Nandani is among the many women who have benefited from income-generating projects provided by the Ministry for Women, Children and Social Protection.
The projects include a sewing and tailoring project and starter packs and an industrial overlocking machine and a catering support package, which include catering equipment and start-up groceries. These will help a social welfare recipient graduate from relying on welfare and launch a catering business to help support their household.
Ms Nandani is currently dependent on social welfare assistance.
“I’m just depending on social welfare, that is the disabled allowance only, and this sewing machine will help me because I have no other source of income.
“So, if I learn many things to sew, we can sell it for my daughter to be supported.”
The support from the Koroipita community has also helped Ms Nandani to face her challenges head on.
“If we need something, we just come up to these community members and ask in the office if we really need something.”
Ms Nandani said selling certain products within the community was also beneficial for those who may not have enough money to cover transportation costs to and from the city.
“In our community, most of us go to churches and events that we really need.
“So, we can help ourselves and other families too, because in town it’s very expensive. So, we can do the bargaining within our community.”
