Q: Tell us more about your desire to learn carpentry.
A: From a very early age, since I was in primary school, I always wanted to be a carpenter. I worked as a carpenter assistant to acquire knowledge on how to handle different machines. I told my wife that once I learned the skills I needed, I would open my own shop and be able to provide for our family. The accident changed so many things, though. But not my dream.
Q: Could you share with us about your accident?
A: One day, I did not have any money, and my wife was asking me to get some to buy food and detergent. We didn’t have anything to eat or to do the laundry. So, I told her I would go to the shop where I had been training as a carpenter’s assistant to try to do some work and earn some money. I started working, planing the wood. I was using the blade when the wooden board broke down, and it cut [off parts of] four fingers of my right hand. There was blood everywhere and I was really scared. I was taken to a small health care center and I was treated there.
Q: After the accident what did you do? How did you feel?
A: After the accident, I was in great pain. My children started crying when they saw me. My whole family was also shocked. I couldn’t work because of the pain. I came home, my kids didn't have anything to eat. We suffered a lot. I talked to my wife, and I just decided I'm gonna take my life. What's the point of living? I'm not providing for my children. I thought we were bad, but now we're getting worse.