On Monday, Assam has got a first-of-its-kind tea stall run by transgenders thanks to the support from the Kamrup district administration. Opened under the aegis of the All Assam Transgender Association, the ‘Trans Tea Stall’ was inaugurated at the premises of the Kamrup deputy commissioner’s office in Amingaon, Guwahati. Kailash Karthik N, DC Kamrup Rural, cut the ribbon to officially open the stall.
The organisation said the initiative is a way to look for a sustainable source of income for the community, with hopes that in turn, they can also pick up some entrepreneurial skills.
“We often see transgenders begging on the streets and people getting annoyed by it. But it doesn’t strike them that job opportunities are almost none, hence they are forced to take up that path,” Swati Bidhan Baruah, the founder of the All Assam Transgender Association, told indianexpress.com.
🌈 #Assam gets first-of-its-kind transgender-run tea stall in Kamrup district.
🎥 Swati Bidhan Baruah, founder of All Assam Transgender Association pic.twitter.com/iV9BHpzOZo— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) April 19, 2022
“Even if transgender people open businesses, to see them become successful and profitable seems quite impossible as people might have some reservations. Hence, we thought that by opening tea stalls in government offices, it might help to cross a few hurdles,” Baruah explained.
Baruah said the organisation reached out to many district administrations looking for support for the cause with an aim to remove the stigma around the community and empower them. While most of their pleas were ignored, they were finally able to realise their dream when DC Kamrup Rural responded positively. “We were so happy that he not only gave us a space to run our operations but also took interest in our mission and vision we have for people in the trans community,” she added.
Kailash Karthik N, DC Kamrup Rural, with members of All Assam Transgender Association. (Source: Swati Bidhan Baruah)
While the administration did provide the space, the project was financed by Baruah personally, who took out Rs 70,000 from her own savings. As of now, four transgenders will be working at the kiosk—two in charge of running the stall on a rotational basis along with two helpers. “The response has been good on Day 1 and we really hope that it continues that way and people realise transgenders are just like them, trying to earn a living in an honest way,” said Baruah.
Although the plan was to open the one-of-its-kind stall on April 15, a special day when the Supreme Court in 2015 recognised the transgender community as the third gender, it had to be postponed. “With Bihu celebrations taking place, all government offices were closed. So, the shop was inaugurated on April 18 instead, when everything opened after the holidays,” said Baruah.
The organisation hopes that soon they can not only make this stall profitable but also pave the way to open more such establishments in other parts of Assam. “This may seem like a small beginning but it is an important one for the self-empowerment of the transgender community. We want to provide livelihood support to transgenders who often face discrimination and harassment,” said Baruah.
While they haven’t heard back from other government offices yet, Baruah hopes the stall in Kamrup would help authorities, who might be wary of their capabilities, take a decision to help the community. If all goes well, then they might also expand and start selling more items than just tea, coffee, and packed goods.
