Feeling of expectation and desire to be someone helps each one of us keep living with trust and confidence. Without these elements, hope of existence becomes boring and, in fact, disheartening. Hope is like a house with foundation on solid ground, assured of not being easily shaken off and tumbled to the ground by any catastrophe.
Human beings cling to this important mind set and further stretch their positive expectations of the future. Devoid of it, life is empty routine, only to end up in frustration and insanity eventually causing early death. Nobody wants to die early when hope can provide possibility for life as long as the subject rises up to any challenge.
Man still aspires to live even if his foot has a space where he can somehow stand even if the surrounding is a steep slope. A mere placing of one foot on the narrow space and while the other leg hanging in the empty space, the situation still strikes the hope of living in the man. No person wants to die just like that whatsoever.
The urge to move, work and earn is ever lively in all of us. No wind can sniff out the light of living in anyone of us if we are geared to becoming persons of consequence, able to prove our worth. Surrendering all things to fate, only to sit back and watch events passing without having any share in it, is absolutely unacceptable to the nature of man. The wrong notion that handicap people are good for nothing except seeking help from others has become obsolete. Systems and methods have been designed to make the handicapped to be self-reliant, given the opportunity to exercise independently.
Thus, that is why Hope for the Blind and Handicapped Rehabilitating Association (HBHRA), was founded on such principle. Pertaining to this issue, The Ethiopian Herald had the opportunity to ask its guest the day to give Herald an interview and he readily complied. The proceeding went as follows:
Herald: Could you kindly tell me your name?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: My name is Yohanis Gidey.
Herald: what is your post in the organization?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: I am the general Manager of the organization.
Herald: How long have you served here?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: After having served in different capacities for ten years, I was promoted to the position and it is now twenty years. So far I have had a total of thirty years of service in the organization.
Herald: What is the name of the organization?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: The organization is known as Hope for the Blind and Handicapped Rehabilitation Association (HBHRA).
Herald: When was the organization established?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: It was established forty-seven years ago in 1965 Eth. calendar at Yeka sub city, in Addis Ababa.
Herald: For what purpose was it established?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: It was an ambitious move by few enlightened disabled young people and the German Assistance Program to enable the handicapped become self-reliant.
Herald: What were the objectives of the organization?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: The association’s objectives, at that time, were based on creating awareness about disabilities and to empower blind people by encouraging them through braille reading and writing skills and thereby introducing them to modern education.
Herald: Was the program of the organization earmarked only tfor the blind initially?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Even though the idea was initially like that, however, after years of its operation, with the intention of including other physically challenged people, it was modified and renamed as Hope for Blind and Handicapped Rehabilitation.
Herald: Who are the stakeholders of the organization?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Actually they are not many; they are only two. They are German Church and the Charity Organization Agency for issuing legal certificate. The Addis Ababa Social Affairs Bureau had providing limited technical assistance for sometimes.
Herald: What is the source of your fund?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Of course, earlier 90% of the fund was from outside while 10% was locally generated.
Herald: What are the products the organization prides itself on?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: They are mainly household utensils and office furniture such as good quality rugs, brushes, mops, brooms, beds, chairs and tables, etc. The wood products are now phased out due the high cost of raw materials. The production of the household utensils is based on envisages the economic power of the poor people who cannot afford higher prices.
Herald: What was your seed money to start the business with?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Initially the organization started its operation with little money. Fortunately, with the relentless efforts of the handicapped members of the organization, at its earlier stage, the organization was able to generate relatively high income, from the sale of its product, to run its operations.
Herald: Who are the purchasers of your products?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Truly speaking, our organization is reputed for its high quality products which are purchased by individuals, companies, government organizations and others.
Herald: Following the success it has achieved, what other business has the organization started similar to this one?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: It has not been easy for the organization to branch out its business. Ideally, we had attempted yet, it was all in vain; it was not materialized due to financial technical restraints. However, if chances strike, we have a plan to implement similar projects in three sub cities with the same objectives of creating awareness in the society and the government, that the handicapped, instead of seeking assistance from others, can manage themselves and be economically self- reliant given enabling opportunities.
Herald: Is there financial support that the organization gets from the government?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Virtually nothing. So far the government appears indifferent to the issues of the handicapped. We hope that the new political situation can pave the way that can help attract the attention of the government to us. However, a glint of hope someday will be worth clinging to.
Herald: who are the purchasers of your products?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Generally it is the individuals. Yet, we promote ourselves so much that various organizations buy from us. Some others, not many though, place their orders with us. Nevertheless, they are not as many as we wish them to be.
Herald: Do you have regular customers?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Frankly speaking, we do not have regular customers.
Herald: How is the quality of your products as witnessed by the purchasers?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Almost all our products are high quality. That is the feedback we often get.
Herald: Comparing your organization with others, how do you rate yourself?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Even though currently situations are not thriving owing to various reasons, depending on many years of experience, our organization is more or less on equal footing with others.
Herald: For how many people has the organization created job opportunities?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: At this moment, we have 200 hundred employees. There are others, after getting training with us, run their own cottage industries and there are others who have obtained jobs with other employers. These are all economically self-reliant. They have successfully broken out of the bondage of beggary.
Herald: What are the criteria of employment in your organization?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Primarily it is the determination of the handicapped to earn his or her living by working. Further the applicants should be physically challenged. The age limit is under forty five.
Herald: Is the organization able to branch out its business?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Actually it is a business venture yet; appealing to various charity organizations, with the financial support we get from them, we are able to supply clothes and learning materials for the children of our members. Some of the children have pursued their education up to higher institutions and some have even gone abroad.
Herald: Do you have success story that you can relate to me?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: A handicapped individual, being capable of supporting his or her family is our major success. Herald: Have you ever had the chance to export your products?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: We have not been able to do so as organization. Yet, through our customers, a lot of our products, particularly, carpets have reached abroad.
Herald: What pleases you most among issues related to your organization?
Ato Yohanis Gidey: Coordinating fellow handicapped people and working with them, exceedingly pleases me. Along with this, seeing the children of our members get educated and equally reach with others a high station in life exceedingly pleases me.
Herald: Thank you, Ato Yohanis, for your willingness to give Herald interview.
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday Edition 8 March 2020
BY JOSEPH SOBOKA
