STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION: MEET AMINATA

As a young woman with epilepsy, Aminata was scoffed at, ridiculed, and mocked. When seizures would throw her to the ground with uncontrollable and violent shaking, people would run from her, believing whatever was happening to her was contagious. They called her names and said she was a demon. Feeling alone, discouraged, and depressed, she didn’t even value herself enough to clean up following a seizure. Women of Hope came alongside Aminata. Aminata began attending the local Transformation Training class with 14 other women with disabilities. She began to see herself in a new way – as someone who had value and purpose. Seeing her creative potential, the staff invited her to take part in a one-week skills training class with other women who had disabilities. It was during that week that Aminata discovered her talent for making beautiful jewelry. While working in the Fair-Trade Cooperative, Aminata’s life began to change. The women she worked with did not run away from her when a seizure would overcome her. Instead, they would come quickly to assist her, caring for her young son during the seizure and helping her to clean herself up once the seizure had passed. Aminata had found friends and a community. And then the jewelry she was creating started to sell. Aminata now had the ability to buy the medicine she needed for her epilepsy, as well as provide for herself and her young son. Aminata says that she is grateful for a place to go to work, and for friends who care about her. She says that people now respect her, and she has more respect for herself as well.

To help make the work of hope-filled life transformation for women with disabilities possible, we invite you to give to Accessible Hope.