Differently abled pen success

KOZHIKODE: Disability did not stop them from realising their dreams. More than 2,000 differently-abled people from across the state, who gathered together on a Facebook group, are now working together as a company for the last three months. They claimed to have sold more than two lakh paper pens. Registered as ‘Handicrops Divyanga Impex Limited’, the company has eight directors and five of them are differently-abled, said Sooraj P.A., from Kodungallur, who came up with the idea.

At present they are more into making paper pens, with seeds inside, that will grow even if thrown out. The company itself distributed more than 75,000 refills, said Mr Sooraj. “We are getting orders from across the country and even from the Gulf countries, the places that realised the need to abandon plastic and return to natural products,” said Mr Sooraj.

The paper pens, made with ordinary refills and magazine papers cost Rs 5. Those with colour craft paper cost Rs 6 and those with company refill cost Rs 7 and the maximum cost would be Rs 8. In the rainy season, they would venture into making umbrellas and in the next six months, they are planning to make cloth bags, pickles, soaps and sanitary napkins. The aim is to empower differently-abled and find a regular income.