Next time when we stop at a traffic light don’t be
surprised if we spot a transgender assisting a traffic policeman. As part of
efforts to empower members of the transgender community and help them earn a
livelihood, NGO One Indian Road Safety Organisation (OIRSO), is training
transgenders in traffic management.
J. Sandhya, who has been
selected as a trainee said that, since many transgenders do not have jobs, they
resort to begging at traffic signals. Getting them to direct traffic will be a
major morale booster. Initially, motorists may mock us. But we will learn to
ignore such reactions. There are around 1,500 transgenders in the city. To help
them interact with the general public on a daily basis, they will also be given
lessons in etiquette and personality development, said K. Mahadevan, founder, OIRSO.
The training will be carried
out in phases, with the first phase accounting for 15 transgenders. “By the end
of this year, at least 100 would have gone through the programme. Following the
training, transgenders will assist traffic police personnel for four hours a
day, six days a week, for a salary of Rs. 6,000 per month,” said Mr. Mahadevan.
At present, OIRSO is bearing a huge chunk of the expenditure for the project. The
training will also include defensive or precautionary driving, first aid and
lessons on traffic rules and violations.
OIRSO is supported in the project
by Sahodari Foundation, a voluntary group that seeks to empower transgenders, and
the Institute of Driver Training
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