A Transgendered Mobile Phone

A group of charities in India which help transgendered people (known as hijras) away from begging and prostitution have signed a deal to set up a mobile phone assembly factory. Nokia, Motorola and Foxconn have sub-contracted assembling of spare parts to the MASS Trust.

Around 100 transgendered people will receive a months worth of training and will then assemble parts for the phone companies.

Poet Salma, chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board, told the Times of India, "This is a good opportunity for transgenders whose livelihood has for long depended on begging and commercial sex." MASS Trust has been acting as a facilitating agency to enable people with disabilities and those in rural areas to get jobs. This is the first time transgenders have been included in the plan.

About 50 transgenders attended the programme, and were enthusiastic about working in one place without having to travel too much.

On the web: Times of India - Wikipedia

Posted to the site on 12th February 2009