Julie Polar J. de Greeve
Jibitha used to sit on her parent’s doorstep and watch life go by!
24 year old Jibitha lives with her parents in a village outside Tranquebar. She has been paralyzed in her right side since she had polio at the age of 3.
1½ year ago she joined a Disabled Self Help Group with 7 members from her community. When she got a micro loan of 6000 rupees, she bought a cow and began to sell the daily seven litres of milk to a local company earning Rs.112 rupees (14 kr.) a day. Jibitha also receives a monthly payment of 400 rupees (50 kr.) from the government. In 3 months she will have repaid the loan. Her mother feeds and milks the cow - due to her handicap Jibitha is afraid of being pushed by the cow and fall.
See photos of Jibitha here....
In the group she has gotten many new friends, and she is very happy - unlike before where she was sitting alone on the doorstep of her house looking at the people passing by, feeling lonely. Nowadays, she knows all the people in the village and has an active social life.
Asked about her future Jibitha states that she hopes her parents will take care of her. It is very clear that she is still very dependent on her parents unlike Samy who has become very independent.