“I met with an accident in year 2000 while getting off a van. My right leg was so injured that it had to be amputated. You might not have noticed, but I make use of a prosthesis as my right leg.
I used to work in the construction field, so you can imagine that life became difficult after events took such an unexpected turn. As you might have guessed, I became jobless and could hardly make both ends meet with that meagre pension that I was being granted. With that money, I had to pay tenancy as well as take care of my family. The situation was immensely tough for me. Things went on like this for about two years.
And all changed on one day. I can still remember my wife gave me rs420 to buy some foodstuff. Instead of doing same, I went to Port-Louis and bought some chains, bracelets and other small items. I took all these, came back to Flacq and resold all of them within a few days. I repeated that exercise several times and re-invested whatever money I used to get. I expanded my business here itself in Flacq while also learning how to produce the artisanal stuff I used to buy. Today, most of the items you are seeing on my table whether it’s the bracelets or the coconut sculpture, all these have been handcrafted by me. I kept my focus and showed genuine dedication towards my work and this paid off.
Often, I ask myself questions. Where would I have been without my accident?
There was one time when I used to travel by bus every day for my business purposes. I didn’t have a prosthesis during that period so it was extremely hard for me. Many bus drivers wouldn’t stop as they knew beforehand that I wouldn’t need to pay because of my handicap. But I didn’t give up and kept going forward. Today, I have my own car. I have also been able to construct my own house all thanks to my artisanal talent.
Often, I ask myself questions. Where would I have been without my accident? Would life have been better or worse? I don’t have a definite answer but what I do know is that the loss of my leg triggered an immense desire in myself to fight back for my family.
Today, they are happy and leading a comfortable life. This is what matters the most to me!”
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“Enn zour, an 2000, mo ti pe sorti depi enn kamionet, ek mo’nn fer enn aksidan. Mo ti telman blese dan mo lazam drwat, ki ti bizin koupe. Kapav ou pa’nn remarke, me mo lipe drwat se enn protez.
Mo ti pe travay dan konstriksion, donk ou kapav imazine kouma lavi inn vinn difisil apre sa evennman-la. Kouma ou’nn bizin inn devine, mo’nn vinn somer ek li ti extra difisil zwenn-le-de-bout avek sa ti pansion ki ti pe donn mwa la. Mo ti bizin pey lwaye ek nouri mo fami avek sa kas-la. Sitiasion ti bien dir pou mwa. Ek pandan de-z-an lavi inn ale koumsa.
Ek enn zour, tou inn sanze. Mo ankor rapel, mo madam ti donn mwa Rs 420 pou al aste de-trwa komision. Olie mo al fer sa, mo’nn al Port Louis ek mo’nn aste de-trwa lasenn, brasle ek lezot ti lartik. Mo’nn pran tousala, mo’nn retourn Flacq ek mo’nn revann tou dan de-trwa zour. Mo’nn refer mem zafer plizier fwa ek re-investi tou larzan ki mo ti pe gagne. Mo’nn expann mo biznes isi mem, dan Flacq, an mem tan mo ti pe aprann kouma prodir bann obze artizanal ki mo ti pe aste. Zordi, laplipar bann lartik ki ou trouve lor mo latab, ki li brasle ou skiltir avek koko, tousala momem ki fer ar mo lame. Mo res konsantre ek mo dedie mwa dan mo tavay ek tousala peye.
Souvan, mo poz mwa enn kestion. Kot sa mo ti pou ete san sa aksidan-la?
Ti ena enn lepok kot mo ti pe vwayaz par bis toule zour pou fer bann demars pou mo biznes. Mo pa ti ankor ena protez sa lepok-la donk li ti bien dir pou mwa. Boukou sofer bis pa ti pe arete pou pran mwa parski zot ti deza kone mo pa pou peye akoz mo andikap. Me mo pa’nn abandone, mo’nn kontign avanse. Zordi, mo ena mo prop loto. Mo’nn resi mont mo prop lakaz osi, tousa gras-a mo talan dan artizana.
Souvan, mo poz mwa enn kestion. Kot sa mo ti pou ete san sa aksidan-la? Eski lavi ti pou meyer ou pir? Mo pena okenn repons definitif me seki mo kone se ki kan mo’nn perdi mo lipie, sa inn deklans enn volonte manz ar li pou mo fami.
Zordi, zot kontan ek zot pe amenn enn lavi konfortab. Samem pli inportan pou mwa.”
