DISABLED COUPLE LIVE ON NEEDLE & THREAD

By: Eva Wai 

In Shingjuang County, North of Taiwan; live a family of four whose parents are physically disabled since birth. Survive 28 years of strong marriage and commitment to their children and small business.

Working from home altering and adjusting peoples clothing to make it fit to the customers request, is what this couple do. They have brought up two children one currently studying in Senior High, and the other working as a computer technician.

Their business averages on 5-10 customers per day, costing NT$50 just to make a pair of pants shorter. Maybe you need something different like a new zip NT$30 or a button NT$10; or maybe the most expensive NT$100 to change whatever you like.

Each customer varies and this couple earns an average of NT$500 per day, for 12 years their small business has been opened; their prices have never gone up.

However still managing to bring up a family with this amount. Prices today for most things have gone up, yet this family still survives in the same house with no furniture but a table and chair to work on.

This business opens from every Monday to Saturday 11am – 11pm, with not much to do but it’s all this couple can do to survive.

Learning sewing from a very young age and not completing high school level, they work from home since it’s inconvenient to go out somewhere else.

“I cannot even remember when last did I go on holiday, or out to some place and have fun” said the owner’s wife.

She stays at home everyday with her husband, and cannot cook but only buy food from outside. Her husband will go out occasionally to buy materials needed.

Taking 25minutes to make a pair of pants shorter the owner earns NT$50, with a happy smile on her face one hand ironing, she places the pants inside a packet which is ready for collection.