Wealth planning from a wheel chair

Former St Mathias Village Panch and a well-known citizen of Divar Island, Jerry D’Souza a father of one girl child with a wife battling cancer while his mother nearing her 80s is struggling with her life. But the same Jerry whose body is breaking down with Muscle Dystrophy since 2006, has just his hands moving and his tongue allowing him to talk, is forced to a wheel chair. Yet travelling across Goa, Jerry took up to wealth planning and tries to make ends meet for his family, leading the way of people with disabilities making a difference in society.

Jerry, who’s popular across Divar for leading agitations to the Chief Minister and various government departments raising issues of Divar in terms of growing robberies, lack of facilities like roadways and electricity woes, is a known face amongst social activists but his condition doesn’t deter him to continue fighting for Divar.

“I would like to appeal to my Cumbarjua MLA who is Social Welfare Minister that lot has to be done for people with disabilities in Goa. There are almost 30,000 people with disability in Goa but the government says a lot in the media but not much is actually done. I would like the government to provide a dole through the existing social security scheme to hike the pension from mere Rs 2,000 to at least Rs 5,000,” appeals Jerry who struggles to make ends meet for his wife’s cancer care, his aging mother and growing daughter who’s about ten years old.

Jerry, who consistently writes letters to the editor column in all newspapers taking up issues of his village and of disable people, has been championing a cause across North Goa demanding a commission similar n the lines of the OBC or ST Commission to have one constituted for People with Disabilities which could have a registry of disabled people created across panchayats and municipalities and then finding ways to reach out to them or using this registry to be sent out to NGOs and self-help groups or any other Corporate social responsibility based MNCs.

Because of his muscle dystrophy his health is deteriorating, Jerry explains. From being a normal person as a youngster who used to drive himself around he then needed assistance to stand and walk and since 2012 he’s completely on a wheel chair. Jerry says that if he asks for help even in terms of money anybody gives and provides but…

“I don't want like to ask and beg. I want my own money by working hard and hence I took to wealth planning and wealth management and assist people with their insurance and financial planning. Jerry explains that the commissions from his wealth planning are small amounts that help him raise his daughter and provide for his family.

Jerry’s zeal to travel to even Margao and beyond to assist people with wealth planning all the way from Divar which includes crossing the ferry is an inspiration to many from abled persons to people with disability while he’s very proud and smiling if his feat of working is not upset by his conditions.