Raipur gets a friendship zone for specially-abled youngsters

In a first of its kind initiative in Raipur, specially-abled youngsters can now meet new people and make friends in a place free from discrimination and limiting thoughts. Wonder what this is all about? Welcome to friendship zone, a support group created by city youngsters for the differently-abled persons, where they can find employment, communicate in sign language and enjoy one another’s company.We give you a glimpse on this unique endeavour…
Raipur has plenty of hangout places for youngsters; but this newly opened spot has unique features as it brings differently-abled people and others together. The youngster behind this initiative, Irfan Ahmad says, “It really pains me to see how specially-abled people are treated by those who consider themselves as normal. This motivated me to come up with the idea of friendship zone, where specially-abled youngsters can hangout, enjoy food and meet others.” He goes on to add, “We want to create a dialogue between youngsters and specially-abled people, so that the gap can be filled.”
A frequenter at this place, Anjali Singhania says, “Here, everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Youngsters can sit together, enjoy tea and snacks and get to know one another. There is no awkwardness between the specially-abled youngsters and us. And it is always good to make new friends. So this place is very unique for a young hangout spot.”
A college student Rohit Gautam adds, “Visiting this place has changed my perception towards the specially-abled people. I knew nothing about their culture and the way they communicated but now I am learning the art of sign language to communicate with them. So coming here has been an eye-opener to me. Here I have found two good friends.”
For those specially-abled youngsters who were living an ostracised life are now employed here and living a dignified life. Irfan says, “We have hired four differently-abled youngsters who work here as chef and waiter and they don’t have to be dependable to earn their livelihood on others. We provide them with training and they take it from there. All they need is an opportunity and acceptance in society to thrive and reach their full potential and I am glad that they get the same here. In future, we plan to hire more specially-abled people.”
This friendship zone is making waves in social media and more youngsters are joining in to support this cause. A youngster Suraj Lalwani says, “I came to know about this hangout spot through social media and visiting here has been a wonderful experience. This place is definitely better than hanging out in usual lake side and cafes.”