The Help Center th
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Symposium
by: Syed Shabbir Siraj
Providing a helping hand to those with disabilities is the best gift one can give and this is exactly what The Help Center has been doing since its inception. The Help Center, founded in 1986 by the late Ahmed Abdullah Juffali, is a private non-profit center located in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and is dedicated to the welfare of children with mental disabilities, from birth to eighteen years of age. The Help Center has given the topic of disability the exposure it requires by organizing symposia beginning from the year 2005. This year’s symposium lasted from 26th to 28th of January and was entitled “Young Adults & Beyond – Towards a Secure & Stable Future.” It was aimed at addressing the problems and difficulties of persons with mental disabilities who are on the verge of entering adulthood and concentrated on issues like employment, aging, marriage, legislation and medical care. Throughout the three days, the center held twentytwo roundtable discussions and workshops. The Help Center’s exhibition area ceiling had been adorned with hanging cloth of bold colors taken from the center’s logo which symbolizes the vibrancy in each and every person, disabled or not. Visitors were being guided within the premises by young volunteers, some of them afflicted with a disability. A separate venue, a large tent-like structure, was erected for the formal opening of the symposium on the evening of its first day and this was attended by specially invited guests. Separate seating areas were provided for men and women inside the beautifully decorated space. After a recitation of a verse from the Holy Quran by a handicapped young man, the evening’s deliberations commenced.
16 DESTINATION JEDDAH
Maha Al Juffali, Director & Supervising Trustee
One of the spokespersons for The Help Center gave a brief introduction to the guests about the symposium’s goal and then presented a short documentary called “We Are Capable”, which was about four young people with mental disabilities who had successfully acquired jobs at different companies and institutions. Immediately after the documentary, two handicapped adolescent girls came on stage and narrated their daily activities. One of the girls, Fatima Ghazali, who loves to play hairdresser, gave details of her daily routine which sees her going to the Help Center and then coming back home, where she loves to help her mother in the kitchen. “This is my life.” she amiably proclaimed before returning to her seat. How normal a life these girls were leading is what they conveyed and their message of perseverance was received with a tremendous applause. Subsequently, an “Introducing the Client” opening address was given by Mrs. Gerda Kuhfittig, Director of Care and Development of the Help Center. The evening continued with speeches and personal experiIt is significant to note that an area with translaences by luminaries and ended soon thereafter tors had been setup at the venue and wireless with a welcoming party for the guests. headsets were made available to those who needed them. This allowed for non-Arabic speakers to understand the majority of Arabic speeches and for non-English speakers to understand a single speech that was given in English. Also, every speech was communicated in sign language by a specialist who was on stage at all times. These great arrangements were proof of The Help Center’s dedication in having everyone absorb the pearls of wisdom which were carried in the words of the speakers. Bringing together renowned doctors and acclaimed professionals to enlighten families of children with disabilities and the people in general through the media, the symposiums at The Help Center have certainly become an important platform for holding discussions about disabilities. It is for all of us to remember that enhancing the quality of life for the disabled does not have to be just the responsibility of those associated with them – non-handicapped people must play a role in making their lives better as well. DESTINATION JEDDAH 17