A 21-year-old woman who suffers from cerebral palsy finds a sense of independence on the Internet. On the Web, she is free of her wheelchair, of her disability, of her poverty.

The woman, who requested not to be identified for this story, has dreamed of owning a laptop for about a year — since she started learning how to use computers at Winners at Work, a program for those with disabilities and other employment barriers.

But the purchase is out of the question for the Kapolei High School graduate, whose monthly $535 Social Security check goes to helping her mother pay rent and cover household expenses.

The woman says a laptop would boost her self-confidence and help fend off boredom. It doesn't have to be a fancy machine, she added, as long as it works. "I cannot do stuff on my own," she said.

"I need help to get off the bed and get ready. But I send e-mail to people. I want to get my own laptop and just go."

The woman lives with her grandparents during the week because her mother works full time. On the weekends, she goes to her mother's house and spends time with her siblings.

Her adolescent brother and sister sleep on the floor because the family can't afford beds. She sleeps on a sofa.

At her grandmother's house, the woman has her own bed, but it is old and its springs are giving way. A new bed would greatly improve her sleep and reduce back pain, she said.

She also asks for a ramp so she can get into her grandmother's house easier. The grandmother has an old, rotting wooden wheelchair ramp at her front door.

The woman was born about three months premature. When she was a toddler, she underwent open-heart surgery for a leaky valve. She also has had several other surgeries on her hips and legs.

Despite her condition, the woman gets out almost every day. Monday through Thursday, she attends classes at Winners at Work. Some afternoons, she heads to Kahala Mall to window-shop with friends or pick up a few things for her grandmother. The woman is also active in several organizations, including Abilities Unlimited and the United Cerebral Palsy Association. She graduated from Kapolei High in 2005.

Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.