“With an increase in sales, we needed someone to help out in the warehouse with some simple tasks that were taking up too much of the management team’s time. I was tired of people coming and going with no stability, so I approached the local disability organisation to ask if they knew of anyone who could meet our needs. That’s when they suggested Ricardo.”

“At work, Ricardo helps with general commercial activities such as customer service, product packaging, stock and order management, and cleaning and maintaining the front store and warehouse spaces.

Initially, he found it difficult to familiarise himself with all the products, particularly the names and types, but we always supported and helped him. Although he still needs some supervision, I often forget that Ricardo has limitations because he has always overcome difficulties with ease.”

“The local service provider asked us to temporarily integrate another trainee, Hugo, at a time when we thought we didn’t need anyone else. We agreed because the initial internship is free for the company. However, Hugo proved to be a valuable asset, so we decided to keep him and upgrade his internship agreement to a permanent working contract this year.”

“In our team, everyone has their own role, and each role is essential for the company to run smoothly. Ricardo helps out with physical tasks such as transporting goods, while Hugo takes care of product maintenance and customer interaction, which gives me more time for management and bureaucracy. We have a great working atmosphere and maintain a familiar environment. They help me and I help them. We have a complementary and cooperative relationship, and we are companions – we always attend business events together as a team.”