The whole house has a homely smell of cooking? It is as if someone is gently browning onions in the kitchen. It is past eleven and the six ladies living in their little house in Sodnac will soon be having lunch. One of their friends, who often pays a visit and helps them in their daily lives, is cooking for these ladies who have been living with the effects of poliomyelitis since early childhood.

As soon as you step into the little house, Gladys Désiré warns, ?We are not here to bemoan our disabilities? We can?t walk, so what? Some people have bigger problems than we have.? Despite their physical difficulties, they have never lost their sense of humour or their broad smiles.

Life at Maison d?Entraide is very well organised. This is why it has all worked out so well. ?Each of us knows what she has to do. Even if some of us can?t walk at all, we help in a different way. It is all a matter of solidarity!?

Gladys, for instance, has not been able to move from her bed for ten years. ?Muscles tend to become weaker with old age. What I was able to do ten years ago is no longer possible today.? However, she likes to sew and takes orders from people. She works mainly with linen ? and likes to make trousseaux and layette. Marguerite also sews while Marie-Lourdes does basketwork. The latter is mobile enough to enjoy gardening. Marie-Louise who can also move around is the ?shopping specialist? and the cook of the household.

The ladies spend their day reading, doing some work, listening to the radio. They were among the many fans who watched Stéphan Buckland in Helsinki.

With their pensions and the financial aid they get from the authorities and some of their friends, this work gives them a little bonus at the end of the month and allows them to feel more independent. Independence was in fact the main reason why they set up the association and decided to take themselves in charge.

When they were children, they moved from hospital to convent and ended up in Belle-Rose Convent where they knew they didn?t want to spend the rest of their lives. The six of them have always been together and have always got on very well with one another. ?The most important thing for us was to regain our independence? We knew it would be difficult but with the help of the government and of our good friends, we managed to reach our goal??

The ministry of Social security, United Way and the municipality have helped them a lot in their project. Moreover, United Way continues to help through grants, which have enabled them to employ a daily home help. Some people also come regularly to Maison d?Entraide to help them with their daily chores. Sai Baba is one of them.

Their families all live very far away (Rose-Belle, New-Grove, Grand-Gaube), but visit as often as possible. Likewise, some friends organise special lunches, which often turn into small parties? This is enough to liven up their daily routine!

On a normal day, each of the ladies has her own area where she can spend the day doing some work, reading, watching television ? they were among the many viewers who cheered Stéphan Buckland during the athletics world championship! However, they are unanimous that the radio is their main companion? ?Whatever we are doing, the radio is always on ? as from the moment we wake up in the morning until very late in the evening!?

By creating their ?home sweet home?, the ladies also wanted to encourage people affected by problems in life by showing them that ?we can enjoy life even though we have a disability? All you need is to be organised, always be in good spirits and show solidarity!? Because, when one feels a bit down, the others are there to cheer her up!