The weekly Swacchh organic Bazaar in Hyderabad is giving kids with learning disabilities a first-hand experience of running a business. Every Thursday, kids fill vegetables in the baskets, organise shelves, weigh and pack them for delivery. Founded by Sahithi Reddy and Superna Bajaj in 2017, two enterprising women from the city, Swacchh is on a mission to help differently-abled kids become self-reliant.
The organic food soon found market and they started selling the produce in collaboration with other farms nearby. The duo also runs Kshetram, a home schooling centre that supports children with special needs who struggle in a traditional classroom, The News Minute reported.
It was Sahithi who came with the idea of engaging kids to hone up their entrepreneurial skills. “Reddy asked me to scale up and host organic bazaars at Kshetram. It was great to see the children enjoying setting up the stall, weighing and packing vegetables. They were interacting with others and learning a whole lot,” Bajaj told The Hindu. Every Thursday, they wrap up the class by 2-3 pm and the kids then begin their sales for the week.
The market, more than a fun activity, is a mental exercise for these kids, Reddy said, adding that this also helps the kids identify each vegetable by its local name, and learn how to calculate quickly. A WhatsApp broadcast goes out to the clients informing them about the list of the produce available, and when orders are made, the items are delivered to the homes of the buyer.
