Jobs for People w/disAbility Creates Independence

Xochie and Frances are two sisters who work in the environmental programs of Familias Especiales. They both have visual impairment. Xochie is the fastest bag maker in the program, making paper bags to eliminate the use of the plastic bag. Francis works sorting and selecting paper to recycle. Xochie went through Familas Especiales program for learning the culture of work, when she finished Familias Especiales had a full time job opening in the bag program. She interviewed and succeeded in getting placed. We recently had an international brigade of men and women from US and Canada who helped out in the program. Xochie taught these brigadistas how to make paper bags. One man, who is a professional manager said to me. “In my whole life I never could believe that a young blind woman could teach me how to make bags, I am so uncoordinated, but yeah here I am at her side making bags.”

One day Xochie had the opportunity to visit a printer in Managua for an employee exchange. On the way to Managua the capitol of Nicaragua Xochie said, ”And they said we would never amount to anything,” now she was going to teach others how to make bags in the Capitol. Her sister Francis works in the area of sorting paper for recycle for sale.

In the last months since we posted this project the two sisters have had to cross barricades and worry about the situation of their country which has been in social and political unrest since April. The whole family has had to help them as they come to work, each day, making sure that they leave early in order to be in their homes before there is any disturbances. They have insisted in coming into work even though we have recommended that they stay home. There have been a few days that we have decided to close the programs because of the violence. But these jobs mean so much to the young people that they are willing to make many sacrifices to maintain them. As Xochie said on her trip to Managua, “If they could just see us now.” Work changes everything and that is what Familias Especiales is trying to do change lives and create opportunities through training and jobs.even in the midst of turmoil and unrest.  Having a job is an important way to help young people cope with many different sitautions in their lives.