Böbi

Recently, we had visitors at our institute. They were people working at another civil organization. We told each other how difficult it was to operate an institute today. The steps taken by the former government particularly made life for civil organizations harder, and the new government has not yet done anything to make it easier for us. They told us that their organization, like many others, is going to be liquidated. They asked me how we could survive.

The visitors went away, and I continued working for a long period of time. I was alone in the office, and then started my trip home. In front of the office door, as usual, there was Böbi, sitting on the bench. On her face you could see all the marks of her 54 years, as well as the signs of confidence and true love in her eyes. She came to our institute 18 years ago, after a life full of terrible experiences. They had pulled out each of her teeth by then, and she had to move from institute to institute, until she arrived here.

During the first few years, she spent all of her free time sleeping. I listened to many of her long and incoherent stories, until I understood how it could happen that she was not able to sleep in those big institutes, and what must be done to avoid such things happening here. And despite all those terrible things that happened to her, she is still able to love, feel happiness and help other people. Every day she waits patiently near the office door to join me and help carrying my packages, and have a short conversation with me. When I get into my car, she comes close to whisper in my ear: I pray to God, asking Him to keep you healthy.

It is not a question, what to do now: we have to fight – if there is even a little hope – for our organization to survive.

Erzsébet Szekeres

 

Editors Note
Erzsébet Szekeres, Founder and Managing Director, Alliance Rehabilitation, Hungary;
Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Hungary, 2006

Founded in 1986 with a grant of only 3000 US$, Alliance Rehabilitation has grown to be the largest and most productive disabled housing and employment center in Hungary. Its 22 housing center offer occupation in 16 different areas for over 800 persons, community and medical care. Due to its highly entrepreneurial business model, Alliance Rehabilitation has gained the respect for disabled persons in the business world and the whole society.