Ashirbaev noted that the enterprise receives government orders for work. In particular, the sewing workshop produces medical gowns, blankets, and sheets, while the furniture workshop is responsible for the production of almost all furniture except for upholstered items.
Currently, "Diykan" employs 31 people, of whom 25 have hearing or vision disabilities. "Training is conducted using the 'master-apprentice' model, as there is a shortage of qualified teachers. We tried to attract specialists on a voluntary basis, but the constant work with low salaries does not attract people. They work in their own workshops, while we collaborate with them on contracts. When we started attracting specialists, the quality of work significantly improved. We planned to train employees in computer literacy, but there are no teachers in educational institutions capable of explaining with gestures," Ashirbaev reported.
According to him, there are no special schools for children with disabilities in rural areas.
"This problem is particularly acute for people who cannot speak or hear. In primary schools where they study, there is a shortage of teachers. When an interpreter is needed, it turns out that in the Osh region, only a few educators can adequately explain the material. In the Kara-Suu district, there is a specialized school, but it provides education only up to the 9th grade, after which children are attempted to be integrated into society. In other educational institutions in the city, there are only primary classes," he noted.
There are no specialized higher and secondary educational institutions. It is necessary to train specialists in universities and colleges. Due to the lack of special schools in villages, many children remain uneducated. Those who studied in special institutions cannot establish communication with those who did not have such opportunities. If this problem is not addressed now, it will worsen every year, as the number of such people is growing. We also tried to expand job opportunities; however, there were issues with land: our plot of 14 acres was transferred to the Kyrgyz-Uzbek University. This issue is currently being clarified," Ashirbaev added.
In the dormitory of the Society of the Blind and Deaf, there had been no heating for over 30 years, but this year a system was installed. "Currently, about 20 of our employees need housing. The dormitory has only 13 rooms. This year we reached an order volume of 12 million soms. If the number of orders increases, there is a possibility to raise the volume to 40 million soms. The salaries of workers range from 2,500 to 100,000 soms depending on the work performed," he reported.
The enterprise was founded in 1955 and was under state control until 1995, after which it began to operate on a self-sustaining basis. Currently, there are 11 enterprises for the blind and deaf functioning in the republic.
