The importance of autonomy for people with disabilities: "I will never forget the first steps I took with Travish, my first guide dog".
María Petit, ambassador of the Adecco Foundation, gave the last session of the XII Edition of the cycle 'Training to understand disability'.
26 | 02 | 2025
On February 24 took place the fourth and last session of the cycle "Training to understand disability", organized by Tantaka, the Solidarity Time Bank of the University of Navarra, in partnership with the Iddeas Foundation. The 12th edition concluded with the testimony of Maria Petit, ambassador of the Adecco Foundation. Through her story of self-improvement, she conveyed a message: "autonomy is the basis of everything, but without confidence, no autonomy is possible".
The speaker began her speech with a reflection that, as she said, marked her path: "I had two options: to victimize myself or not to conform to what society was offering me. His visual impairment, which occurred at the age of 17 after an accident, forced him to rethink his life, to face his fears and to break down barriers. But, above all, as she explained, it led her to look for tools that would allow her to regain her independence.
During the session, attendees experienced firsthand what mobility with a visual impairment is like. Maria Petit recounted her learning process and shared how she had to trust her guide dog, the people around her and, above all, herself. "You don't remember your first steps, but I will never forget the first ones I took with Travish, my first guide dog," she confessed. She also explained her decision to opt for the financial aid of these animals, instead of using a cane, because "the guide dog has eyes".
In this sense, Petit spoke about empathy and explained how the lack of it can become an even greater barrier than the disability itself: "It's not just about putting yourself in the other person's shoes, it's about really seeing them, recognizing what they can contribute. She also acknowledged one of her main fears: "What made it worse for me was the thought of what others would think of me, what they would say, if they would start to see me as more vulnerable. That fear prevented me from moving forward.
Throughout the session, he also addressed the reality of the employability of people with disabilities: "Two out of three people with disabilities are unemployed". In this regard, he again stressed the importance of confidence, "not only in oneself, but in a society that must learn to see beyond disability".
