The Different Art Centre (DAC), under the leadership of magician and disability advocate Gopinath Muthukad, has constructed a new home for hearing-impaired siblings Rafal and Rifana, ensuring them a safe, secure, and dignified future. Until recently, the family had been living in a dilapidated house, but can now begin a new chapter of life in a permanent home.

The house was built as part of DAC’s Magik Home project, a flagship initiative that provides free homes for differently-abled individuals. The newly constructed residence is located at Varode in Ottapalam, Palakkad district. The keys were formally handed over to Rafal and Rifana in the presence of their parents, Muhammed Rasheed and Regina.

For the family, whose only source of income is the father’s work as a daily wage laborer, owning a house had long remained an unfulfilled dream. That dream has now been realized with the completion of a 622-square-foot model home designed specifically to meet the needs of differently abled persons. The house was constructed on five cents of land generously donated free of cost by Varode native Abdul Khader.

The key handover ceremony was attended by noted short story writer Vaisakhan, film director Lal Jose, and Manoj Kanjiratthodi, MD, Smart Associates Pvt. Ltd. The event was held in the presence of Jiji Thomson, IAS (Retd.), Chairman, Different Art Centre, and Gopinath Muthukad, Executive Director, Different Art Centre.

Addressing the gathering, Vaisakhan said that life gains true meaning when one sets aside personal desires to work for the happiness of others, adding that Gopinath Muthukad has given this family a gift that will ensure lifelong happiness. Film director Lal Jose noted that at a time when houses are often built as symbolic offerings, DAC has delivered a model home built with genuine sincerity, compassion, and heart.

Engineer Gauri Shankar, who supervised the construction, and Abdul Khader, who donated the land, were felicitated during the ceremony. Ward member Sabita expressed her gratitude to all those who contributed to the successful completion of the project.