25/10/2023
I loved newspapers, books, and stories. The last book I read was at the age of 15.
It began subtly – At 13, I couldn't see the blackboard and soon, I couldn't read books. One day, while walking to school, I stumbled and fell because I couldn't see the road. In our remote village in Kerala, no one could understand what was happening to me. I was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder.
At 15, with Class 10 in sight, I lost my complete vision. That's when a teacher named Joyce got a scribe to write my exams, a concept we heard for the first time. After the exams, he enrolled me in a blind school in another district.
The movies painted a bleak image of blind individuals, portraying them as beggars.Many in my village thought I would have the same fate. But I refused to let that define my future. I toiled tirelessly at the blind school and soon secured a seat at SKVC. I relied on a tape recorder to record my classes, transcribing them later in my hostel room.
It was during this academic journey that I met my husband. I candidly told him to consider the challenges of living with a blind person, but he simply replied that from the moment he laid eyes on me, he knew our story was destined for a wedding.
In 2006, we got married. In 2011, I opened an organic restaurant in Thrissur town, which was an instant hit. However, the restaurant building was sold, and new owners sought to demolish it for an apartment complex. When I started looking for jobs, I faced rejection because of my blindness.
Devastated, I decided to pursue entrepreneurship. During COVID-19, people realised the importance of healthy food. Between 2020 and 2022, I delved into research and experimentation, culminating in the development of food supplements featuring the goodness of turmeric, jaggery, coconut milk, and more – a product designed to address immunity needs.
We started with a humble 50-cent which has grown to a 54-acre across five districts, entirely dedicated to organic farming. My efforts have empowered over 300 farmers, with a notable 150 of them being women. By providing organic turmeric seeds and an agreement of an assured rate coupled with a 100% buy-back guarantee, we've instilled confidence in farmers who once hesitated to venture into turmeric cultivation, particularly in Kerala.
Blindness was never a choice, but being independent was. It was a choice I embraced wholeheartedly.
Geetha Sallesh
This festival, support Geetha’s startup & spread some immunity amongst your family, friends & collegues
https://geethashome2home.com
