This was the second day of three, working with the members of Asoplejicat, an adult independent living skills center in Ambato. Two members of Asoplejicat were interviewed, so those of us with the CITTI Project could learn more about this organization. The members interviewed were Eraldo Montenegro, who mentors new members, and Jose Orlando Aponte Nunez, who recently came to Asoplejicat, to learn new skills.
When asked about Asoplejicat’s mission, Eraldo said it is “Helping people learn to have an independent life, especially when people have accidents and begin to use a wheelchair.” Eraldo added that “They can come here and stay in our apartment for as long as three months, and learn how to use the bathroom, take showers, cook, and go places independently.” He is currently mentoring Jose, and they are living in the apartment together.Eraldo reported that when Jose first came to Asoplejicat, he could not shower independently. “I told him how to take a shower step-by-step, and then I showed him, too. Now he takes one by himself, and is also cleaning the apartment himself!” Jose stated that the best part of being at Asoplejicat is that “I live with other people in wheelchairs. It helps my mind and my mood. “Jose also said “I’m learning that I must believe in myself. I was feeling alone and my mood was down. The best thing they have here is community.”
When asked how people learn about Asoplejicat, Eraldo reported that some doctors refer patients to them. They also are working with the university, so physical therapy students go there for training. Besides teaching daily living skills, the center also has physical therapy services, and a doctor who prescribes these services.
As part of learning independence, new members are taken downtown to learn how to get around in a wheelchair. Eraldo is a wheelchair athlete, and plays basketball, so he also teaches new members wheelchair sports. Jose is learning how to use a shotput for competition.
Eraldo also has a job as a computer technician. When asked to tell about mentoring, he replied, “It is very nice. I am learning more than I am teaching, all the time. I have learned a lot here, from everyone. Everyone who comes here is a new and different person, and I must learn different ways of teaching them.” Eraldo acknowledges that in the midst of teaching daily living skills, he is also trying to build community spirit. He went on to say that “I used to tell people how to do something, and order them around, like ‘Do this, do that.’ Now, I do it together with the person, and everyone gets involved. Now, the group helps each other, we work hand in hand. If someone in the group can’t do something, others can help him with it.”
Jose revealed that “When I came here, I was a very shy person. Now that I have
met other people in wheelchairs and see what they can do, I am now very different.” Eraldo agreed, and said “You have to learn to love yourself as you are. You have to let people know that you are the same as everyone else, and have the same rights as everyone else. I meet a lot of people, and they are surprised that I can do so much even though I am in a wheelchair. I sometimes teach able-bodied people things I can do and they can’t.” He says being a mentor means, for him, that he wants to show other people with disabilities they can be involved with society, and have something to do, an objective in their life. He would like Asoplejicat’s services to include psychology, to help with members emotions, and “Teach them not to be afraid.” Jose would like to study psychology for this purpose.