Since three years,Diwali means round-the-clock work for Choco Niwant,a voluntary venture by Niwant Andh Mukta Vikasalaya (NAMV),Vidyanagar,and its visually-challenged students. The students stay awake till the wee hours,making chocolates for their clients. Chocolate-making is just a side business for these students. It helps them earn some money that finances their hostel fees,education and other miscellaneous expenses. Most of them are from outside the city, says NAMV director Meera Badve,who has been working with visually-challenged students for the past 15 years. The ingredients for these chocolates are sourced from Singapore. Their clients include Forbes Marshall,Infosys,HSBC,SABA,Kajaria Tiles,C T Pundole & Sons,Ashoka Tiles and the like. Choco Niwant adds that sweet touch to our Diwali celebrations every year, says Hutokshi Pundole of C T Pundole & Sons. Saleem,Vrushali,Sangpal,Sagar and Sunny all visually-challenged students execute bulk orders this festive season,which exceed 900 kg of chocolates. From moulding to freezing and packing,all work is done by students of NAMV,who have two refrigerators and a microwave (for melting) at their disposal. And priced at nominal rates,the taste can arguably rival and even surpass some of the better brands available in the market. Choco Niwant has already made 600 kg of chocolates this season and plans to complete the bulk orders in a week. This years specialties includes the Braille-shaped chocolate,Diwali akashkandils and the Taj Mahal. Students have also brought in unique styles of packaging,with butterflies and cartoon images on boxes. The idea was born once chocolatier Neeta Mundhra tried her hand at teaching these children. I taught them individually. Once they could feel the exact amount of mould and set the temperature right,my work was done, says Mundhra who provided them a start-up kit of 25 moulds,10 kg of chocolate and wrapping paper. Most schools for the visually-challenged teach candle-making. How is a student supposed to make a living selling candles in todays world? So,we thought of this idea, says Badve. Chocolates will never go out of fashion. It is a lucrative business and our teamwork helps us earn a decent amount every season, chips in Basavraj Santikar,a part-time teacher at NAMV. The profit is equally divided amongst the participants every month. With its growing popularity,a separate chocolate body has been set up to look after the business. Swapnel Wagh,also the captain of the Maharashtra Blind Cricket Team,purchases the raw material from Mumbai. To ensure a smooth run,we allot responsibilities to everybody, Wagh says. He is assisted by Saleem Attar and Sudarshan,both students of Fergusson College,who look after the accounts. The partially-visioned students fill the mould while the other students wrap chocolates and give them the finishing touches, says Nishant Mane,who is pursuing his graduation.
