From Lived Experience to Everyday Inclusion: The Story of Dispi Kharbuli
My name is Dispi Kharbuli. I was born in Laitlyngkot in a close knit family with three sisters and one brother. As a child, I loved creating things with my hands. I could spend hours shaping small objects, turning simple materials into something meaningful.
Everything changed when I was twelve. I met with a serious accident that injured my leg. My family did not have the money needed for proper treatment. The pain stayed with me, and so did the limits it placed on my movement. Even so, I refused to let my life shrink around that injury.
When I turned eighteen, I decided to turn my skills into work. I began crafting locks, keys, and knives. I had learned the basics from my uncle, and over time my hands grew steady and confident. When I was twenty seven, my father passed away. As the only son, all responsibility fell on me. I worked every day, saved whatever I could, and kept reminding myself that patience would take me forward.
Friends encouraged me to explore loans and government schemes. Their guidance helped me expand my work. I began creating bracelets, pine cone birds, bamboo stools, necklaces, keychains, and many other pieces. My designs became known for their detail and care. I was soon registered as a blacksmith and handicraft practitioner.
In 2021, my work received a State Award. Later, I was selected for the National Award program. My creations were displayed in exhibitions and competitions, and I received chances to showcase my craft at international trade fairs in Kolkata, Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Tezpur, Tura, Guwahati, and several other places. Each opportunity felt like a small doorway opening after years of struggle.
Sharing my skills became important to me. I built a training centre that has now completed thirty years of registration. Young men and women between eighteen and forty come to learn. Some join the regular one year program with daily classes. Others take part in shorter intensive courses. Watching them grow has been one of the most rewarding parts of my work.
Today, I continue to sell my creations in local markets and tourist shops in Sohra. With support from Dakti Craft, Meghalaya Khadi and Village Industries Board, and Handloom groups, my products are also available online. I visit schools in Jowai and Ri Bhoi to train students and encourage them to find confidence in their abilities.
I have faced many challenges, especially in communication. Still, I never let setbacks silence my talent. Now, as a divyang mitra with Sols Arc, I guide other persons with disabilities toward independence. Helping them believe in their own strength gives deep meaning to my life.
What we can learn from this story:
• Skill grows when determination stays steady, even when life creates physical limits.
• Guidance and timely support can open new paths, as seen through the schemes and loans that expanded his craft.
• Sharing knowledge can strengthen a whole community, shown through his training centre and school visits.
• Purpose becomes stronger when lived experience is used to lift others, reflected in his role as a divyang mitra supporting persons with disabilities.
