Both of the PROJIMO projects continue to provide greatly needed services for disabled children and adults in Sinaloa Mexico. Run by disabled villagers who have become highly skilled in helping families to meet a wide range of rehabilitation skills, everything from wheelchair making to counseling mothers about early stimulation of children who are developmentally slow.

PROJIMO plays an increasingly important role in sharing its methods and skills with community based rehabilitation programs in other parts of Mexico and Latin America.

Here the team of disabled wheelchair builders in the new workshop in Duranguito teaches 3 disabled persons from the state of Colima how to construct wheelchairs that are individually designed to meet the needs of each child.

Although PROJIMO was originally set up to serve the rural area, many disabled persons come from the cities, because often they can get more personalized and comprehensive services than in the hospitals or large urban rehab centers. An example is Alberto, from Culiacan, the state capital, who is quadriplegic (paralyzed from the neck down).

When Alberto arrived at the PROJIMO community rehab center in Coyotitan he was completely dependent, had severe pressure sores and was so drugged on anti-epileptic medicines (though he didn’t have epilepsy) that he was like a zombie. Once the village team graded him off the medication he became much more alert, and found he could do many more things for himself.

Income Generating Activities

Both PROJIMO programs are trying hard to become as self sufficient as possible. As some of their long-term funding sources are being cut back, they are developing different income-generating activities.

One income generating activity is the intensive conversational Spanish language training course, taught by spinal cord injured young persons. Many of the students both study and volunteer in the rehab program. PLEASE COME STUDY—OR HELP PROJIMO SPREAD THE WORD.

Another income generating activity is PROJIMO’s newly modernized Cyber Café. Fortunately, Jason Weston’s brother Ted, and Stian Haklev from Norway have installed a high speed, satellite-based Internet system which is especially appealing to young persons in the village of Coyotitan.