Sukraj ‘Aaron’ Niranjan, 55, was forced to quit school after being paralyzed at aged eight for four years, but he became a self-taught tailor, which later helped him to secure a job with an organisation in New York that supplies outfits to the US Army.
He is in charge of the needlecraft department at Alphapointe – Vision for Life, where he cuts and assembles the clothing.
Alphapointe is a multi-faceted organisation that supports visually-impaired adults and youth through education, employment and advocacy.
Niranjan also trains some of these staff.
The organisation also manufactures a number of products, including mops, brooms and brushes.
The company has 280 employees and during the lockdown for the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, he was one of six persons who remained at work.
The former Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara resident cannot say for sure what had caused his paralysis but said he was eight-years-old when his feet collapsed suddenly.
He recalled that before his demise, his legs were so strong that he “used to run to school (which was not too close) and even run home for lunch and make back to school on time.”
Losing his ability to walk was very devastating for Niranjan. He underwent physiotherapy treatment that saw him walking again at age 13.
Two years later, he became a self-taught tailor and his drive for success never stopped.
He migrated with his wife and four children three years ago. They lived one year in a small apartment in the Bronx, where they faced a lot of challenges, including not being able to find a steady job.
At one point he was hired as a carpenter and “worked double shift until 1 am but I never received the payment of over US$4,000.”
The family was also forced to leave the apartment after the landlord made life miserable for them.
That proved to be a blessing in disguise for the family though, when they ended up renting a better apartment in Richmond Hill, NY.
Niranjan, who legs are slightly deformed, found a job at an electrical company. But he was not satisfied with the treatment there and quit shortly after.
He then explored the neighbourhood and that was when he found out about Alphapointe and managed to get a job with the organisation.
He worked his way up until he was offered a promotion with increased pay. The new position required him going in to work on Saturdays.
Although he was thrilled with the offer, he had to refuse it because of his commitment to provide sewing and upholstery services to customers, from his apartment.
Continuing to strive for a better standard of living, he is already in the process of purchasing a house. He plans to convert the basement into a sewing space.
Apart from the regular sewing and upholstering, he would take advantage of the plastic bag ban that came into effect in April, by manufacturing reusable shopping bags.
Ability
Returning to school after getting back on his feet was not an option but he knew he had the ability to do something good with his life.
With his single mother away at work and his siblings at school, he tried to seek auto mechanic skills. He approached the men at the workshop to teach him but they refused.
“I decided to force myself and watch them from the fence… but they used to heat welding rod and burn me. And I would cry and go home,” he recalled.
He also approached a goldsmith to see if he could train him but was told that it was a “family business.”
Despondent but yet determined not to give up on finding something meaningful to do, he ripped open his brother’s old pants and re-sew them until he learnt the art.
He proved his talents when his brother-in-law purchased a “pants length” and challenged him to sew a pair of pants for him.
Niranjan doubted himself but his brother-in-law was confident that he could do it. The end result was perfect and from that, came the start of his career.
His next step was displaying a sign in front of his house indicating that sewing services were available.
He told this newspaper that he “became a perfect tailor and even got orders for wedding clothes.”
When he got married a few years later, he passed his skills on to his wife, Malinie, who has been very supportive. They worked as a team in establishing their sewing business.
Before they knew it though, “imported clothing started to sell cheap and the business got slow.” The couple had to find another means of survival.
They decided to dismantle the coverings from the furniture, wash them and reupholster them.
Not wanting to set a limit to what they had accomplished, they went a step further by taking the furniture apart and rebuilding them.
They then invested in “modernized tools” and started taking orders to build furniture.
This led to Niranjan using some of their “savings” to invest in a sand truck that brought in more income.
Setback
Niranjan told SN that despite the setback in his life, he “worked hard and sent my children (three older girls) to high school.”
He recalled that his business suffered a severe blow when the great flood occurred in 2005.
It was close to Christmas and he had completed many furniture sets that customers had ordered. They were waiting until they got money to uplift them.
His entire workshop was flooded but he managed to lift the furniture up before the water could damage them.
That caused him a lot of inconvenience and he was left with no other choice but to call the customers to take them away free of cost.
Some people from the village later “paid me a little,” but it was no match for the expenses he incurred to manufacture them.
Niranjan told this newspaper proudly; “I sew my children’s clothing since they were babies and until they graduated from high school. I also attended all of their school meetings and I always volunteered to help fix anything at school.”
He also shared that “when my children were small I used to let my wife sleep during the nights and I used to get up and feed and change them.”
Because of the tough life he faced in Guyana and in the US in the during the first year of his arrival, he uses his influence to help other Guyanese to find jobs.
“I remembered my time of wanting a job but could not get any and I help so many people now,” he stated. “Lots of people come to me almost every day…”
He also helps out at churches, mosques and mandirs whenever he is needed.
Now that he and his family are in a better position, they would ship barrels with clothing, grocery and other items for the poor people back from their village back home.
His eldest daughter Preya, told SN: “We know that there are so many kids there who don’t have a lot and we would not forget them.”
She said they would spend from their pockets but would also acquire some items from other people to send.
She said her father has always been a good example of helping others, including her friends.
“When we were in Guyana he used to take the old people to pick up their pension or take them to the health center with his car,” she said proudly.
Niranjan sews masks and in his free time, he would take them to a shopping area to sell.
“But when people don’t buy I assume that they don’t have money… and I would give it to them,” he pointed out.
“I love to help people and if I had more opportunity I woulda do more.”
Preya is proud of her father and hopes that he can “inspire more people to do good for others to help make the world a better place.”
Niranjan urged “anyone who need job or any help,” to come forward, promising that he would gladly assist.
