SHEENA: FROM FINANCIAL ABYSS TO FLOURISHING DRIVING SCHOOL
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| Sheena, Amal Motor Driving School, Punalur, Kollam |
Various were the hurdles placed by life in front of her. But she tackled them like a consummate driver of vehicles to earn a livelihood and set her children on the path of higher education.
Though as a bright student, Sheena from Punalur joined a private marine institute in Thiruvananthapuram, she had to discontinue her studies as the financial implication was beyond her family. She came back, did B.A. on her own and then married at the age of 24.
Soon financial problems outran the remittances from her husband Salim in the Gulf. She found it difficult to run the family consisting of two children and parents.
It was then that she ventured into a rubber tapping for earning a living. But autorickshaws, which she depended on to take her to the worksite, refused to do so owing to malicious campaign by senseless idlers.
Undeterred, she decided to learn driving. She cleared the test and purchased a two wheeler with Kudumbasree loan. Meanwhile, her husband died of heart ailments and she found that rubber tapping wouldn’t be able to meet her needs.
It was then that she thought of teaching driving to others. She realised that driving four wheelers and heavy vehicles came to her naturally. Even here, there were naysayers who tried to discourage her.
Undeterred by the all negativity, she forged ahead with Amal Motor Driving School. Today she owns two cars, vehicles for training, two assistants and her own house in Punalur. Her daughter Ahana is a student of MBBS at Manipal and her son Amal is studying for Plus Two.
During the past 15 years, about 500 aspirants have learned driving under her. And at present, there are about 60 learners under her.
Her aims do not end here. She has plans to start a day care centre.
Courtesy: Suprada Prasad (text), Mathrubhumi, January 10, 2018
