This was an article submitted by Team “HALE” for ‘SHE’, a creative writing competition organized by the Rotaract Club of University of Sri Jayewardenepura to commemorate International Rural Women’s Day which falls on the 15th of October.
Life is a cruise which sails with memories, some graceful and some agonizing, though everyone expects life to be graceful. It will not be a fantasy as it sounds.
One egregious moment could possibly drag a person’s life into darkness, but daring it and standing strong through it would be the most solid moment in life.
They will be the changers of the world.
The deafening sound and the bright light, with which came the life changing darkness.
This story is about a wilful daughter, a splendid wife and a fearless mother who rose from the ashes of her past and is now a glorious woman who has challenged fate itself.
The moment she plunged into the dark goes back to more than a decade ago – A bomb that took away the lives of many people and she considers herself to be lucky to be alive.
A girl aged 20 who was living an ordinary life was unexpectedly thrown into a storm, abandoned by the world as she knew it. This young substantial woman, who once saw the world in bright colors was left to fend for herself in this new darkness.
The gashes she endured, the burns that marked her and the fear that threatened to gulp her with the loneliness that clenched her heart being the ashes, this undeniably strong Phoenix spread her wings and rose until she reached the sky. She, is Ashcharya Pieris.
This woman who has fought every obstacle that life could possible throw at her is now a famous designer and one of the few blind designers in the world.
She selects the colors by relating to mother nature as all colors originate from nature.
The designs are clearly imagined in her mind which she then explains to seamstresses who make the ideas that she sees in the mind visible to us. This fashion line goes by the name Christiana Glory.
After she was able to initiate her fashion line, it was established over the years and now it is a world famous fashion line, which is unique for the designer’s ability. When applied to the motif of professional development, this profession could be further improved by participating in special courses which would guide and enable to enhance the existing talents by providing the necessary training, advice and access to the knowledge and experience of the other visually impaired people who are part of this industry.
We noticed that the designs could be much smoothly completed if Mrs. Ashcharya had the staff to support her through the process. For example, if there was a person to accompany her when searching for the materials needed such as garments, if there was someone who could assist her in identifying the colors and patterns, it would be more efficient.
As a result of our research, we discovered that there are special sewing machines such as IS stitchline sl78-2 and Highlead3813128-1 etc. These machines will help her to create the designs as they are imagined by her.
She could also create a web page for her designer lines and thereby reach a vast community.
There are certain webpage creators that enable ‘screen reading’ which would enable visually impaired people to use the website as well. Therefore she would also be able to access the webpage created.
To expand her design line, she could initiate an academy for such talented people who are struggling in the society because of such incidents. She will be a strength to these people who have been abandoned by the society and they will be a support for her enterprise as well.
Fate does not offer us with a clear route to follow. In life, we have to face moments where our whole life would be reversed and upturned in a snap. The results of such moments are not perpetually similar and how we embrace these moments and confront antagonistic junctures is what defines us.
Mrs. Ashcharya is a woman who faced such moments with courage. When she lost all that she held dear and was thrust into darkness, she did not give up.
Written By:
Rtr. Nuzhath Rizvi
( Club Member – 2019/20 )
Megara Wijemanne
Arani Rodrigo