disabled — Blog — ANNA FAWCUS

Umberto Gladius Algeta

Villa Nueva, Guatemala

Umberto Gladius Algeta is 38 years old. He works selling various small products that he can carry such as sweets and sometimes phone cards. He works between 5-7 days a week, only taking days off for vital medical treatments. Umberto starts at 8am in the morning and works until around 1pm. He has to have a rest in the middle of the day, but then works again from 4pm until 9pm. Umberto earns between Q15-Q30 a day (US$2-$3.50). He has done this work for 1 year. It was 2 years ago that he had his accident. The first year he spent in bed in recovery and the last year he has spent working from his wheelchair. It is very difficult for Umberto when he is unable to work, as this means that he is earning no money, and can not afford to pay for medicines that he needs. Umberto has had an interesting life. He is one of the few informal workers who has had the chance to leave Guatemala and live in America. Prior to his accident, many years ago, he was earning more money, working on a farm. He was able to save enough to pay someone on the black market to transport him across Mexico to America, where he lived for 3 years before being deported. He is very lucky to have lived in America, as it was during this time that he made some friends, who sometimes help him by sending a little money. Without this help, he literally could not survive or afford medical treatment. Umberto has two daughters, who are 2 1/2 and 8 years old. When he had his accident, his wife left him for another man. She took the children with her and he has not seen them since. He doesn’t know where they are, and with his condition it would be nearly impossible to find them. Even i f he could go searching physically, it would be financially impossible with the travel costs. His dreams are to be able to walk again, and to one day see his children again.