I am frequently asked why I invest so much of my time, energy and personal funds leading a Mexican non-profit serving young people with disabilities. My response is always the same: I believe that every human being should have the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential, regardless of their strengths and challenges. Sadly, in this community, a lack of comprehensive therapeutic and special education support has left many disabled young people without the resources they need to thrive and participate fully in life.
My local team and I are determined to change this. Our goal is to collaborate with local, state and national governments as well as other private organizations to ensure that every young person with disabilities in this community has access to the therapeutic and educational resources, they need to reach their potential—regardless of their family’s ability to pay.
You can make a tax-deductible donation to support our program at www.AmigosEducarte.org. Now, I’d like to introduce you to a few of the very special young people we serve in the Educarte program.
Meet Eliu:
Eliu is four years old and has Pierre Robin Syndrome and autism. The condition that he was born with requires him to breathe through a tube in his neck and eat through a tube in his stomach. Doctors told his parents that he would never walk or talk and would likely remain completely dependent on them. Thanks to a generous sponsor from the U.S., we were able to begin serving Eliu at our therapy clinic just over a year ago. When we first met Eliu, he would not leave his mother’s lap and interacted very little with others. Since entering our program, he has received consistent speech and physical therapy as well as socialization and psychological support from our professional team. He has made tremendous progress and now, not only can he walk but he can run, jump and climb. Although the tube in his neck prevents him from speaking, he has learned sign language and can now communicate with others. Today Eliu is a very happy little boy who loves to come to therapy where his favorite activities are playing board games, interacting with other children and, especially, getting a sticker before leaving the clinic.
