We are convinced that courageous action unleashes opportunities and opens up unimagined perspectives. This attitude is also underlined by ena's slogan: Act boldly. Shaping the future. And we do this in a holistic, fulfilling way.
Jorge Espiritu would have every reason to be discouraged. Serious strokes of fate have turned his life upside down. But he courageously takes his life into his own hands - and enriches many others in the process.
"I obviously can't do anything, I'm going home," says Jorge Espiritu in frustration. He throws his knitting on the table, picks up his cane and leaves. Teresa, the trainer at Renacer, ena's partner organization in Peru, can understand his frustration. Although the practical training is geared towards people with a disability, it is doubly difficult for him.
A stroke of fate 15 years ago changed Jorge Espiritu's life. "It happened while I was working in the fields, a branch fell on my head and injured me badly," he tells ena during a visit. "I had to go to hospital in Lima and was in a coma for six months." When he woke up, he was shocked because he could no longer see anything. "They told me what had happened and sent me back to Tingo Maria, my home. I was blind, paralyzed and could barely speak at first." His words sounded normal in his head, but only strange sounds came out of his mouth. The Peruvian was devastated, angry, sad, hopeless. His mother had to bathe and feed him like a toddler. Then came the further disappointment: "My wife couldn't cope with the sudden disability and the poverty that came with it, so she left me with our two children without saying where she was going or leaving any means of contact. I had lost my life and my family."
Women's business - or not?
Ten years ago, Jorge got to know the work of Renacer, ena's partner organization. He learned that blind people were learning to knit there. It seemed exciting to him and he courageously decided to take his life into his own hands. It didn't bother him that only women knit in Peru. He wanted to learn to knit. Although he took the course for two years, he was unable to knit without making mistakes. "Teresa was very patient with me and kept trying new approaches. She built new knitting frames for me that also worked with one hand and tested them herself with one hand." Her belief in him motivated him and he finally succeeded. The first reward since the accident, for the first eight scarves sold, made him happy. "It feels great to be an entrepreneur and contribute something to the household," he says today.
When Jorge is overcome with grief again, it helps him to sing. "My favorite song to sing is 'Cerca de ti' (Close to you). It gives me hope and courage and touches me deeply in my heart. Sometimes it makes others happy too." A course participant once said to him: "Jorge, why don't you sing a song? It does us good and motivates us when you sing."
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As an aid organization, we enable life-changing perspectives worldwide through uncomplicated help that works. To this end, we are involved in both short and medium-term emergency aid as well as long-term development cooperation. Based on mutual respect and understanding of the respective needs, we are primarily active in the areas of livelihoods, education, health and peace. The responsible and effective use of the donations entrusted to us is confirmed by the Zewo seal of approval and our commitment to the standards of the CHS Alliance.