From the 1970's to the 1990's, many innocent civilians were injured and lost limbs due to land mines. In a country with few resources, two groups formed to give hope to these amputees.
In the morning, we visited the Pollus Center, which through funding from the Red Cross manufactures one prosthetic a month. In addition to land mine victims, the center now provides prostheses for individuals who have had illnesses, like diabetes, resulting in limb loss. They have a thorough selection process for candidates including evaluation of psychological barriers to help ensure resources are invested on individuals more likely to have success with a prosthetic. The Center offers payment plans and sliding scale fees to those with economic hardship. The Pollus Center was fascinating, but could not compare to the effect the wheelchair factory had on us.
Maybe I should keep the wheelchair factory a secret since some of you reading this may follow in our footsteps as future UMass residents. Then again, maybe you won't feel so confused as to why you are traveling such great lengths simply to visit a factory. When we arrived, we heard all about the history of this center and how the six factory workers are also wheelchair-bound themselves. We watch them curiously, eager to hear their stories and then our tour guide said those magic words: “what would you like to ask them?”
Ernesto had been a carpenter prior to joining the group five years ago. He specializes in children's wheelchairs, customizing each miniature chair to serve its owner in the best way possible. He explains what a joy it is to work for children who experienced what he had been through. (Here's where I tell you to sit down on the floor, look around, and stay there awhile…) Ernesto had spent the first fourteen years of his life on the floor, which is why he takes pride in fabricating hope with his own two hands in a sweaty, dirty factory day in and day out. Roger and Anastasio had similar tales, but you should go there and hear them yourself!
Oh, and let me add that these amazing men each have built three chairs for themselves to serve in different capacities: a home wheelchair, a work wheelchair and a travel wheelchair. They travel between 7-8 kilometers to work by wheelchair each day and despite extensive flooding during the winter, "we are always here at 8." I don't know if many people can say that about themselves with a heck of a lot more resources available!
When I left there, I no longer viewed this place as a factory. These men are not ordinary factory workers, they are artists with passion in theirs eyes, giving hope with their hands.
