Transferring Skill To Next Generation By: Muhammad Ahmed
Transferring Skill To Next Generation
By: Muhammad Ahmed
There is no substitute for experience. It is a great learning as well as a practice which make one perfect.
An old man comes daily at dawn and works with his sons till late night. He is owner of power glass factory, at Hyderabad. This factory manufactures eyesight glasses. The factory was set up about 45 years back. Now it is known as A-One Glass Traders.
In America and Europe spectacles are prepared through automatic plants under the supervision of qualified doctors and engineers but at this factory the very same work is done manually.
This factory produces spectacles and lenses of all resolutions, which doctors normally suggest. There are different categories of models such as D.Bifocal lens, Bifocal lens, Straight Bifocal lens and so on.
These all are prepared here with human hands. The old man who owns the factory says he is not literate, yet through his talent and expertise, he and his sons make the finest lenses in Hyderabad.
He is working since last 45 years. This is a highly professional job but it’s unfortunate that he doesn’t get the right price for this difficult job, while in other countries and even some in cities of Pakistan, the workers and owners get handsome amount for the same job.
Though, after introduction of ready made imported glasses, it has become difficult to earn livelihood from this profession but he is not willing to leave this factory.
His sons also do part time jobs after giving their time at the factory. He says, that was a time when he used to prepare glass lenses for high profile personalities of Hyderabad and other parts of Sindh as recommended by the doctors.
He has contacts with the shops and labs but unfortunately they also do not pay him good price for his best work. The shopkeepers and labs from Chandni to Hyder Chowk are in touch with him, they take lenses from him at low price and sale at higher prices. Some lenses are sold for Rs10,000.
While explaining the process of his job he said that chemicals like Emry, Rod acid, compound, bleach and other acids are used in the preparation of spectacles. These chemicals are used for cutting the glass and put them according to size, numbers, cleaning and shinning.
After working on fiber optics, he supplies his product to contractors of Hyderabad and interior Sindh. Optical prepared by him are sold in Tando Jam, Dadu, Thatta, Matli, Tando Allahyar, and even in Karachi.
Till 90s, there were hey days of this factory. People from remote areas used to come here to be part of this factory as workers.
It was time when the owner used to supervise more than 50 people working there. Now there are hardly half a dozen people working there like Khalid Bhai working since 40 years, Hameed Bhai working since 30 years and Mangala working since 25 years.
The old man says the factory has seen many ups and downs, but these all are part of life. He desires that his sons should carry on this work and wants to transfer his skill to next generation.
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