Cherinet is a man in his mid-20s who is a special-need individual. He lives with just his mother, Tigist, in Cherkos. Cherinet was born with the use of forceps to pull him out and this resulted in his lack of coordination and mobility. 

While his father was alive, the kebele had offered to take and raise Cherinet in a program they had for special-need children but his parents couldn’t bear to give him up. His father worked hard to support his family and did so until he passed away. After this, Tigist was again given the option of giving Cherinet up but she chose to raise him despite the challenges. 

Even without proper training, Tigist has been cultivating improvements in Cherinet’s condition day by day. Cherinet used to be unable to stand and walk but with Tigist’s effort and patience, he can now move around and take a walk on his own. He can also understand to some extent what people tell him and he can sometimes eat without having to be fed. Tigist has also adapted herself to his way of communication like understanding when he needs to use the toilet. Tigist has been a true caretaker to Cherinet since his birth.

 Tigist is financially supported by her other children in their basic needs and she also has very cooperative neighbors that ease some of her burdens, however, she still has a lot on her plate. Tigist has sight only in one eye and the other’s strength is slowly decreasing. Another major problem is how she gets Cherinet to use the bathroom. Tigist uses a potty that is too small for Cherinet and requires her to carry him, and this is affecting her back. It is to ease this burden that Emmanuel Ability Centre has decided to provide Cherinet with a commode. Since it is suitable for his size, Tigist doesn’t have to carry him anymore and she can easily train him to use it on his own. 

Click here to watch the Tigist talk about her and Cherinet’s lives in her own words.

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