Osotspa Helps Turn Burden into Power Through “Life must go on” Project

Disability causes a life-changing turn. Many people have undergone enormous changes after being disabled. Facing both physical and mental difficulties, they have struggled to overcome those barriers and live on. To offer right assistance and help them not just survive, but thrive, finding their insights and seeking collaboration among family members, communities, government sectors and private sectors are very important.

Dr. Prasitchai Mungjitr, Director of Kaeng Khoi Hospital (Saraburi province), one of the leaders of the disability assistance network, said, “Disabilities do not onlty change life of those hit by disabling injury, but also life of caregivers. The family members have to spend most of their time taking care of them. Their wives change their role to become a breadwinner. Actually, people with disabilities do not want to be a burden to their family. They want to be independent. While the public health sectors provide medical assistance to support their physical recovery, they also need accommodating environment and job training supports. The communities and other sectors can serve those needs and must do with clear objectives.”

“Life must go on” project is the collaboration among the members of the disability assistance network, namely local government sectors, Osotspa PCL. and its voluntarily staff, with an aim to help people with disabilities, especially those who are disabled by an accident and are no longer a breadwinner of the family. This project helps people with disabilities by supporting three powers: physical power, mental power and life power.

The project provides physical power through rehabiliation and skill review. Many people with disabilities want to take care of themselves when they are recovered. However, when they find that their houses do not accommodate their disabilities and prevent their mobility, they remain to depend on others and their strong ambition has faded. They feel useless and empty. As a result, they isolate themselves from the society. Seeing this, the project supports their mental power by renovating their houses to accommodate them. The renovated houses will enable them to navigate and utilize their home properly as well as protect them from any harms caused by their limited mobility, helping them regain their confidence and independence.

The renovation starts with a conversation to assess their needs and their houses. Those insights are used in planning a disability home remodeling. The renovation includes creating a space for small farming, such as a mushroom farm, a river snail fam. Once the expert finishes the design, the volunteers from Osotspa’s nearby plants help renovate the houses and prepare some equipments for their farms. The volunteers also liaise and find markets for their products. All these renovations and job supports are done with an aim to give them power of life and build opportunities for them to work, earn an income, and support their families. Currently, somes houses are completely renovated. Mr. Manrat Rattanasukon, Governer of Saraburi province, recently presided over the presentation of the renovated houses in Saraburi province.

“Through our vision of the Power to Enhance Life, Osotspa initiated the “Life must go on” project to turn their desperation into power to live on, focusing on practical assistance to improve independence of those with disabilities. Also, the company intends to expand the the assistance to other parts of the country by building the model of assisting people with disabilities and promote this model to other organizations.” Mrs. Wannipa Bhakdibutr, President of Osotspa PCL., said in the house presentation ceremony in Saraburi province.

Mr.Wicharn Torsuwan or Nong Arm, 22 years old, is one of the people with disabilities whose houses were renovated. He collapsed and injured his knees. He did not receive a treatment because it was unaffordable. While his injury had not beed cured, he had worked as a big tree relocator. As a result, his injury has been getting worse and he finally become disabled. He cannot walk and has to stay in his room on the second floor. Each day, during lunch break, his mother has to return home to prepare lunch and carry heavy buckets of water to his room to help him take a bath. The project built a small room on the first floor for him. Now, he can come down and live downstairs with privacy. His house is now equipped with the handrails and attached toilets. He also has a bean sprout farm beside his room. All these new facilities will help him gain his confidence, step out of his isolated world and live his normal life again.

After having a stoke on his way home from work, Mr. Pramool Sinpru’s arm and leg have been weak and cannot live his normal life again. He fell into a depression, felt that he was a burden of the family and became desperated. Now his house was renovated. The handrails were installed around the house to accommodate him. The floor along the way to the restroom and in the restroom was newly built. The old lavatory with septic tanks was replacedby the new toilet to make it more convenient and morer hygenic. The space on the side of the house was transformed to a bean sprout farm. This new house and farm bring happiness back to Mr. Pramool and his family.

“In the past, I spent all my time taking care of him because he was stressed and desperated. The handrails help him move more easily and confidently. Now, he is more confident, relaxed and lively. Our family is happier. He plays with the kids more. I can go to work. We have earned extra income from the bean sprout farm,” said Mrs. Aunchalee Permpool, Mr.Pramool’s wife.

Osotspa has a strong commiment to empower people with disabilities to turn their desperation into power driving them to move on, so that they become economically independent with social equality and happiness. We hope that our support will bring better lives and draw sustainable future for people with disabilities.