This private institution of social solidarity helps people with special needs. It is a project that survives of their activities, cultural events and donations from anonymous people in the form of plastic caps. It is above all a haven for those needing a helping hand, where someone will listen and understand, all under the management of a young and very energetic director, Filipe Rebelo.
How the association without limits does begin?
Filipe Rebelo: The association without limits (AWL) comes through a gap in the Portuguese Association of Disabled (PDA), we came to correct many errors at the level of status, activities and public contests, and it all turned into something more regional. We are use to bring projects from outside, we copy what others have, but we are just as capable as others to convey ideas, the aim is to be creative. I had this dream in a drawer for some time, about four years I had been proposing to the former management of PDA the forming of an association, did not find appealing the one at the time, but never gave up and since January 2012 started to exist and structured in the same way the other. The idea is to help others and not just those with special needs. The word handicap is always very large, it includes many people from children, adults, the deaf, the blind, the dumb, the quadriplegics, paraplegics and even the soldiers wounded in combat, usually we associated the term only to persons in wheelchairs, however, has much to unravel. There is much to demystify. We also want to embrace the elderly, because they are the future. They have limited mobility, vision and hearing, and while I understand that people do not want to be labeled, I do not like being labeled as handicap, but clearly are people with special needs. The reality is this. The association has a very large extent, whether in social, educational, cultural and sporting events. We took the care to cover these areas, because only then makes sense. Since then we have developed a set of partnerships, together with the PDA because it would be unfair not to include it. We worked in different molds, i.e., one supports the other claims and increasingly we have to create synergies with the different organizations that exist, because people should realize that is their natural habitat. Many organizations think they can intervene in all, who wants it all, nothing does. If I am specialized in a particular area, I'm not going to interfere in another, but I will refer users to the specialties they need. I have this philosophy until I died whatever the nature of organizations where you can find me. The bridges must be made. People have to network more.
It is one of the aspects of AWL, the change in attitudes by educating the young?
FR: No doubt. Children are the best vehicle for communication. Virgins in terms of mentality do not pay water, electricity and not have to vote. We have to implement these policies on them, they are the future. They have no vices. The political class is full of vices. It takes a big man to change that. I do not like to treat people by numbers; they must be treated as human beings. We have 500 members, but I do not worry about it. We have to check is whether the work is done and if the help comes to the real needs of these people, is a project on the ground. We have to work; people must fight, because we have created our unemployment. I work here on a voluntary basis, although people do not believe me, if by chance there was money, I had already be dismissed of this association. People do not know what volunteering is. You must be paid? Yes, I agree. If we spend a few hours, not to earn a paycheck, but can receive an amount for fuel, I agree with that. The time they give is very good, but should not lose money. Attitudes must be changed quickly, in particular the politicians. I'm in this association for several years we have never received any support from social services, always invent reasons to never allocate the funds, I ask only 500 Euros per month to pay for water, electricity and gasoline. I agree that the regional situation does not sit well with so many institutions of a social nature, many we have to close some, are mere lobbies, which is after all their active role? We have to regroup and leave on the ground the associations that are in fact working.
So many of those association do nothing?
FR: Yes, it's a bit out there. There are associations of deaf friends, family members of people with disabilities or others who do nothing, or have a very irregular activity. The idea of creating an association comes from a family experience, someone who was ill, deaf or amputated. Currently, they were contacted to pay the expenses of everyday life, light, water, income and stamp duty. The AWL is a private charitable thinking about the future, without forgetting yesterday.
One of your fights is architectural barriers, yet little has been done in this area.
FR: I'm not afraid of architectural barriers, I'm afraid of the psychological barriers that people create and try to foist upon others. Two people can carry in a wheelchair and overcome an obstacle, but if in the route there is a car parked on the sidewalk, no longer we can do anything. Ignorance is huge. Clearly it is a matter of civic education, both from the standpoint of regional government, more central, in the sense that it is essential to create an educational national program about people with special needs in schools. There is already a national day of grandparents and disability, but there was never a serious educational policy in this direction, now we intend to eliminate physical education in schools, which is an aberration. So, let's spend more money on doctors? Let's spend more on health? Sounds like a bad joke. By taking the mandatory need of this discipline, we are affecting younger people in their social skills, not to mention the physical issues. Physical education is a gateway to socialize, step in, adapt and all of these areas are interlinked. Just who is on the ground understand these psychological barriers. The architectural barriers are created by the incompetent who live in their offices, do not seek, do not learn and think they know everything. Do not know the background to the question, please ask for help. This is a country of engineers and bench coaches, as we say. Basically, we are all stupid because we cannot admit the mistake, as we point out the others, how we are going to recognize our own? It's our society and we are not prepared, we must be more open, more interventional. We are building houses with three or more floors, we will not get old?
It is also a question of space.
FR: Yes, clearly, but there should be a requirement for an elevator. It's expensive, pity, but no building permit. Now there are thermal studies for homes, solar panels, with the objective of saving, but this crucial technical aspect is viewed with suspicion.
Another of the aspects of AWL is the campaign of the plastic caps that is always active.
FR: Yes, a project that was embraced in the former direction, but it was discontinued. Today remains always active, because I believe in it. Lately there is a major breach of the plastic and therefore we have some difficulty responding to all requests, but we're getting there. A few days ago we sent 10,000 tons to Lisbon and we have over ten to move on. It's a reality we have to manage the long run, each load corresponds to a voucher for 2000 euros, which turns into payments for orthopedic materials, consultation and social rents. The wheelchairs are more expensive, costing about 8,000 euros each. There is the idea that the handicap have many advantages, but it is not true, we have to step up like the others, because pensions are a misery and prosthesis that cost as much as a car.
Since the beginning of the campaign how many tons have you sent for recycling?
FR: It started two years ago and already we recycled 40,000 tons of plastic. You cover a lot and people have helped much.
The islanders are united? It is said often that we are not.
FR: We are supportive, not every day by nature. It actually happens when we have a great catastrophe. When we are directly affects is that people are more supportive, I am also of this opinion.
In cultural terms, what are the projects that you develop?
FR: We have the "I love Madera" that has a social nature, on August 18th will be hosting a fashion event in which 50% of ticket revenues accrue to the association. All the money is welcome however slightly may be. If we apply 10 euros every day, at the end of the year are around 3600 euros, it's like a puzzle. We must think globally. There are also sporting events, wheelchair basketball, hiking, picnics and gatherings. All a way to get money, however few.
There are also calendars with pictures of women with disabilities; you choose this theme a little to demystify the prejudice?
FR: Yes, people view the disabled as someone who has no headaches, menstruation, sexuality, and who does not think. They have everything that I just mentioned, including children and orgasms. If a normal person said I cannot have children, what you think of it? It is disabled? These are questions that I let in air, are called taboos, however, the current reality is more open, people socialize more and begin to face the person with special needs with greater normality. We are all social beings, disabled or not. These people must be treated as so-called normal. From the school comes everything. Ruca, the cartoon character appeared to demystify the down syndrome, that is why he has no hair, but the profit was more than the disease and the message was lost. Many people do not know that. We need cartoons, TV spots that include people on wheelchair, so people realize that they also exist. There has to be commercials that include people with special needs, all that counts.
http://www.associacaosemlimites.com/
