How this visually challenged woman from Kerala started a successful business in lockdown

A resident of Thrissur, Geetha is almost 100 per cent blind. She started her business when lockdown made her husband's job uncertain

A visually challenged housewife supported her family through the Covid-19 lockdown by selling homemade products, an entrepreneurial feat that has turned her into an inspiration for many.

Geetha, 39, is not only getting product orders but also receiving congratulatory calls from other states over her experience and success in overcoming her visual impairment.

A resident of Thrissur, Geetha is almost 100 per cent blind. She started her business of products like ghee and pickles after her husband Saeesh's medical representative job was uncertain amid a lockdown last year.

With the support of her husband and two children Gazal and Gaya, she started her business, her customers only limited to her neighbours initially. The good quality of her products made them popular and pushed the demand up.

Former state finance minister Thomas Isaac and Higher Education Minister R Bindhu, who came across the woman's business visited her and offered support. After they shared her story, support and praise poured in for Geetha.

Geetha told DH that she was now getting orders from even Gujarat and Maharashtra. "Many aspiring women entrepreneurs want to hear from me on how I have ventured into entrepreneurship overcoming visual problems. The reason I never felt visual impairment to be a hurdle may be because I am used to it. One should never consider any physical limitations a hurdle in achieving goals in life," she said.

Geetha, who used to run a health juice parlour in Thrissur before this, felt this business more suited for her as she could spend more time with her family. She hopes to expand her business with the support of government agencies.

Geetha started losing her vision when she was in school, and around the age of 15, her vision was reduced to just shadows. Doctors are now suggesting options for Geetha to recover some of her vision, but she does not see it as a hurdle anymore.