In a country that has been in a near-constant state of war for more than 60 years, the number of people suffering from disability increases steadily. In the wake of the 2014 Israeli assault on Gaza, Handicap International estimated that 10-15 percent of the total population in the Strip lives with some degree of disability.
One of the creative responses to the challenge is Irade (in Arabic, "will," or "determination"). Founded in 2012 by the Turkish government, its goal is to empower and integrate the disabled into society. It also aims to spread awareness and ensure social and economic acceptance.
To see for ourselves how Irade works to achieve this ambitious goal, a group of We Are Not Numbers writers visited its center. Midway through our tour, our guide, project coordinator Manal Hasna, stopped for a minute to speak to one of the participants in the carpentry workshop. I did not understand a word he said, but Manal seemed to have a regular, everyday conversation. Later, she explained that man, named Moumin, suffers from a speech disability. This short encounter taught me everything I needed to know about the institution. It is much more than an “institution.: It is a home and safe haven, a place for one to be understood.
Manal shared with us some of the transformations the project has helped its students experience. One example is a young man who had difficulty walking as result of the last Israeli assault on Gaza. His parents enrolled him in an Irada training program and within a week he had changed from a depressed, broken, sometimes even suicidal individual to the the person he once was. With tears in her eyes, his mother thanked the program staff for “returning” her son.
Among the skills taught at Irada are carpentry, furniture painting and upholstery, wood carving using a CNC machine, book binding, glass and mosaic painting, and embroidery. After completing several medical tests, trainees are placed in a worsho in which they are interested and that also fits their physically abilities. One special program, called Tamkeen (Arabic for enablement) not only offers vocational training to 100 trainees but also puts them to work in independent workshops and small businesses, enabling them to secure a steady income for themselves and their families. My fellow writer, Do'aa Mohaisen, tells the story of one of those participants, Samah Shahin.
Women are a major focus of Irade, since almost a third of the trainees are women. Women are not just involved in the traditional "womanly arts" like embroidery; for example, for the first time in Gaza, women with disabilities are in enrolled in the furniture-making and upholstery workshops.
For those still struggling to find inner peace with their disabilities, Irade also offers psychological support and counseling.
The Turkish government has been the main benefactor of the project. With a donation of 4.2 million USD, 13 training programs were put to action that have allowed 400 disabled individuals to enter the labor market. Irade also works closely with several organizations, such as the UN Development Program, the Islamic Development Bank and the International Labor Organization, to achieve its vision to form bridges and mutual cooperation with both local and international institutions.
Perhaps one day, when Gaza is safe and tourists are allowed to visit us, a regular stop will be the Irada headquarters on the university campus in Gaza City, where on the second floor is a gallery that sells products made by its participants. It’s a powerful message to the world, saying that despite all hardship, Gaza will always dust itself up and rise stronger than ever.
Posted March 29, 2016
