A social entrepreneur seeks to reduce stigma of disabilities in Palestine

A social entrepreneur seeks to reduce stigma of disabilities in Palestine

Author: Fri, 2019-11-08 00:07

CAIRO: The brutal challenges of living in occupied Palestine have been extensively documented, but lesser known is the plight of the country's disabled population.

In Palestine, special needs children face daily difficulties within their communities and in schools due to the lack of appropriate social and educational support.

In 2007, local social entrepreneur Nurreddin Amro “” who is afflicted with 98 percent blindness “” launched the pioneering Siraj Al-Quds School and Society for the Blind and Special Needs.

The organization aims to promote and improve the educational, social and familial networks for visually impaired and marginalized children in Jerusalem and beyond.

Since opening its doors, the school has served thousands of children and has offered formal education to those aged 4 through to 13, accepting students demonstrating the most financial need.

Operated thanks to project funding, donations and minimal tuition fees, the organization is also helping to reduce the stigma surrounding blindness and disabilities in Palestine.

"Visually challenged and special needs people suffer from a variety of difficulties and challenges during their education and lifetime. These problems stem from the absence of appropriate educational environments, lack of assistive technology and scarcity of life opportunities,“ Amro said.

Job opportunities remain scarce despite Palestine's five percent employment