Photo: Fundacion Jeison Aristizabal
Jeison Aristizábal, CNN Hero of the Year in 2016, grew up with cerebral palsy in Cali, Colombia but has dedicated his life to bringing therapy, education, and support to other young people with disabilities. With the prize money and donations, his foundation, Asodisvalle, built a much larger rehabilitation center equipped with new technology and more medical tools which helps more than 1,000 young people. Now it has the first university for young people with disabilities in Latin America, with 300 students in its first year. The university offers a range of classes, including computer programming, 3D technology, graphic design, and languages as well as culinary arts, carpentry, music, and tailoring. The idea came from young people who started out learning to be bakers and now work at a local food production plant. “He’s shown us that there is no limitation, no disability, no nothing stopping us from achieving our dreams,” says Ayleen, who plans to enrol at the university next year to become a teacher.
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