A Breakthrough for a Happier Life Successful Employment Story of a Person with Disability

Hung is an over forty years old ex-mentally ill man, he received job training in the Factory for the Blind since 2015, the training included letter shopping, packaging and ironing etc. he worked hard and waiting for a chance to leave the sheltered workshop. In early 2017, the Factory for the Blind launched a new venue cleaning service, and Hung joined the training and stepped out for open employment.

“I would like to work and earn more for own living, so I learned very hard, such as how to use detergent, clean the floor, window and toilet, anything related to venue cleaning. I used to do routine job and do not need to communicate with others, but now I need to communicate with the instructors and other trainees, which strengthen my self-confidence.” Hung said.   

Exciting when giving money to family

Hung got a cleaning job offer from a private company in January 2018, working in an industrial building six days every week. “Apart from get up early at 5a.m. every morning  and it is hot when working, I feel good. When I got the first salary, I was so excited.” Hung said. It was the happiest moment when he gave money to his mother, first time in his life.  When he was sick, his mother and family take care of him, but he could earn for his own living and even contributing to his family now. A job is more than important for a handicapped person.

Hung would like to thank the instructors and social workers who make him to live independently, apart from working skills, the care and encouragement motivate Hung to work hard. Hung encourages others to try bravely, in addition, he hopes the employers would hire more people with disabilities with open and acceptance attitude.

New training direction of the Factory for the Blind

The Factory for the Blind celebrates its 55th Anniversary this year, in the early 60’s, the acceptance towards the people with disabilities is low, and the Factory for the Blind employed those people as a worker, so that they could earn a stable income, but disadvantage was lack of chance to communicate and co-operated with others when working in the Factory, it limited their development. The acceptance of people with disabilities is getting higher nowadays under the effort of Government, and NGOs, the Factory for the Blind launched different trainings to match with the open market in order to assist the people with disabilities to open employment. Venue cleaning was a new startup training programme, since January 2017, 12 people with disabilities received the training while 4 of them were employed by private companies already. The Factory plans to organize more workshops and aims to assist our workers and trainees to integrate into the society and live independently.  

Hung is an optimistic person with positive thinking

Hung is receiving training of venue cleaning