Aleida inspires with Red Cross Christmas cards
With Garifuna Settlement Day now behind us there is nothing standing between two hundred and seventy thousand Belizeans and that oh so special holiday of Christmas. This next story will no doubt be one of many we’ll bring out between now and December twenty-fifth…And it may prove to be the most inspiring. Jacqueline Woods reports from Orange Walk.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Aleida Teck cannot remember a time when she was able to walk. That?s because when she was eleven months old, she was diagnosed with polio. Francisca Teck says her daughter was already making baby steps when the disease struck her down.
Francisca Teck, Mother
?She was like a paper. When you put her to stand up or sit down, she goes, she did not have one bit of strength. She go back, well I got frightened.?
There was nothing the family could have done. Polio had paralyzed Teck?s legs and she could no longer walk.
Aledia Teck, Paraplegic
?It?s so hard because I can?t move my arm, I can?t stand and when I want to do something like reach the stove or the pot, I can?t do it somebody has to help me to get my things.?
The family did not have the money to help Teck live a normal life. To get anywhere, she had to be physically carried and spent most of her childhood days indoors, out of school and ashamed of her disability. It was not until she was almost thirteen years
old, that Aleida received her first wheel chair. However, one year later, Aleida?s father, Antonio Balam died, and she struggled with another loss. It was not until Teck reached the age of twenty that she went to school for the first time, and after successfully completing three years at San Jose Palmar Primary School received her certificate. Aleida did not go onto high school but spent the next seven years involved in activities to help her achieve greater independence.
Jacqueline Woods
?Aleida is just one of three thousand, five hundred and twelve persons registered as living with a disability in the Orange Walk District. The situation prompted the Belize Red Cross to help persons like Aleida become self sufficient.?
Mary Lee Ellis, Acting Director General, Belize Red Cross
?To be able to develop the skills that one, make them, A, more confident and B, physically able to produce certain crafts and items that they can sell so that they can use them to help their families support them.?
On most days you can find Aledia on the front porch painstakingly stringing beads to make jewellery to sell. The family?s kitchen has turned into an ideal factory. It is here Aledia?s mother is most inspired by her daughter?s determination. Both daughter and mother say initiatives like the youth with special needs programme have helped Aleida feel more confident. Instead of hanging her head in shame she simply declares that she is not disabled but differently able.
Aledia Teck
?I am like you. I can?t walk, but I can think the same thing that you think. I can?t walk but like I think like I want to I dance and I want to dance like other persons. I have dreams like everyone.?
The programme has also developed Aleida?s drawing and painting skills which she used to design four different sets of Christmas cards. According to the Belize Red Cross acting director general, Mary Lee Ellis, the organisation decided to support the effort because the money raised from the sale of the Christmas cards, will be used to support Aleida and the programme to assist the disabled with special needs. But Ellis admits, without public support, the initiative dies.
Mary Lee Ellis
?This started out with a project that was funded by the Empresshroken Fund, which is an international fund available only to the Red Cross. So of the hundred and eight-one national societies throughout the world, every year you can apply for the fund. But it only lasts for a year. So within that year, you have to try and make it as sufficient as possible so that it can sustain itself. Now that obviously is something that you can?t really do in a year. So public support in the area of financial support, but also volunteers, people maybe using their vehicles to bring the youth out to assist us. These are the things that we need.?
Aleida says one of her goals is to be an advocate for other people with special needs. She says no disabled person should be denied access to the possibilities that will help them overcome life?s challenges.
Aleida Teck
?It?s important that no parent ahs the right to lock the person inside the house because they can?t walk or can?t see, everything be cause it is so sad when a person leave in the house and nobody see that person that can?t walk or can?t see. No parent has the right to lock the person inside the house nobody see.?
Jacqueline Woods
?Aleida says support has helped her to beat the odds so too can it can assist other disabled persons be more courageous, determined and independent. I?m Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.
If you would like to support Aleida Teck and the Youth with special needs programme, the Christmas cards are on sale at the Belize Red Cross at the corner of Gabourel Lane and Handyside Street in Belize City.
