Winning in life despite disability

Life will take us to higher heights if we take a step further each and every day. But for Ana Lovella Jucoy, being born with polio might mean for her to take a leap of faith and hard work in surviving the life she was born into.

Jucoy admitted it was hard for her to build a social network given her condition, but that did not stop her to earn for herself.

Now, she already sells her own hand-made wallets and pouches from native batik designs. She sells it in a stall at Roxas Night Market, and also sells these

online through social media to gain more customers.

Since she was a child, she was already aiding her mother in their sari-sari store.

“Dadto jud nagsugod ang akong pagkanegosyante sukad atong gamay ko (That’s where my venture into becoming a businesswoman started when I was young),” Jucoy said.

But Jucoy added even if their humble sari-sari store exposed her in dealing with people, her condition would somehow find a way to remind her of her limitations.

“Kung naa man juy lisud sa akong kahimtang ang mobility man jud kay lisud makaadto og mga lugar nga ingun-ani (If there’s one thing difficult about my situation it would be mobility because it’s hard reaching places like this),” Jucoy said.

At times, she is unsure whether or not people would trust her and her business because of her disability. Fortunately, she found a community that would make people notice her potential.

As an active member of Buhangin Persons with Disability Group (PWD) and Association of Differently-Abled Persons (Adap), Jucoy just found her niche.

“Nakita pud siguro nila nga tungod sa akong pagka-active naa pud koy potential (They probably saw a potential in me being active in these organizations),” Jucoy said.

Aside from her affiliation with these groups, she is also a barangay worker, paving a way for her to practice her social skills.

But it was when she entered Maybanks’ Reach Independence and Sustainable Entrepreneurship (Rise) that she took a risk in doing business.

Jucoy said that if it weren’t for Rise she would have never found the guts to take a chance in life.

Through Rise, Jucoy learned how not only to strategize well in business, but also how to save and invest money.

Jucoy said Maybank taught her how to create innovative products which will definitely give her an edge in the market.

“Tungod ato mas nahimo ko og confident ug dili pa diay ulahi ang tanan para sa akoa (Because of that I was confident and learned that it is never too late for me to succeed),” Jucoy added. /