Differently-abled proudly celebrate Arab Day

United-Stable Homeland, Continuous-Growing Donation, and the National Union of Yemeni Handicapped Associations (NUYHAs) Ibb branch, inaugurated last Saturday 13th February its conclusive celebration of the Handicapped Arab Day (HAD) with its accompanied activities.
 
These activities included sports, poetic seminar, chanting, drama, painting and plastic exhibition, in addition to handcraft exhibitions. All these activities which are related to handicapped from different associations produced them to the society, highlighting their role of the development circle in the country.
 
The participant associations (Physically-Disabled, Al-Tomooh Mentally-Disabled, Deaf & Mute, Al-Ayn Blind, War-Injured - Martyrs’ families, Al-Amal Disabled Care and Rehabilitation associations) are the members of the NUYHAs in the governorate, gave their achievements and creativeness in a nice picture. It was reflected by the exhibitions and the varied activities. They proved that their disabilities didn’t prevent them from participating and working for the progression of the country.
 
The celebration was inaugurated on Wednesday 9th Feb with a promoting awareness campaign targeting students of the main schools of the governorate. This campaign aims to enrich the students’ awareness of the art of dealing with handicapped people. It also aims at educating them of the reasons which may lead to the different disabilities and how to prevent it. One of these reasons is the driving accidents, especially those of bikes and the misuse of them.
 
The second activity was the sport which had been performed on Saturday 13th Feb, in the clogged hall, Al-Mansoub pool and the international 22nd May stadium, under the slogan of “Sport to Challenge Disability”. Sports of handicapped varied between; swimming, blind soccer, chess, tennis and movable-chairs rally. The handicapped players, who represented their different associations, had enjoyed the competition which was concluded with honoring winners by cups and golden medals.
 
A symposium was held Sunday 14th Feb in the educational centre hall, with attendance of Mr. Abdul-Hakeem Mukbel, general manager of culture office, Mr. Ali Al-Zanim, governor deputy and a number professors and poets from the governorate. The handicapped poets; Mohammed al-Awadhi, Adnan al-Sufyani, Khaleel al-Muhanna and Ali al-Mashraqi delivered their poems which expressed their endurances and concerns, gaining the appreciation of the attendants. In other hand, the symposium discussed the rights of handicapped group and their effective roles in the society. Abdullah al-Baradoni, the great poet, was the person of the symposium as he is the example of the successful handicapped. The symposium was concluded with a number of suggestions to reactivate roles of handicapped, urging them to make their own decisions and to forget their disabilities, reminding them of their rights under the Yemen laws which are the same laws of able-bodied peoples.
 
The concluded celebration last Monday 15th Feb was presented by Mr. Ameen al-Warafee, voice governor, general secretary of the local councils, Mr. Othman al-Sulwee, head of the NUYHAs main branch, Mr. Ali Mujammel, head of Ibb branch, Muhsen al-Sabree, head of the social fund for development, Nasr Hassan Al-Ba’dani, head of the social affairs office, Muhyee al-deen Khoshafa, head of the disabled care and rehabilitations fund, and a number of general managers in the governorate. The voice governor, Al-Warafee, stated that there are about more than 50,000 handicapped in the governorate, expressing his great appreciation to the handicapped efforts of struggling for their rights which had been guaranteed by the Yemen laws. He promised that he will do his best to allot 10% of employments to the handicapped.
 
Dr. Ali Mujammel, head of NUYHAs’ branch opened the celebration with a speech of the union. He explained the happiness of the disable group in celebrating their Arab Day. He stated that their happiness had increased for the coincidence between the HAD and the declaration of the war-end with the rebels in Sa’adah.  “Furthermore, handicapped are ready to give their souls for the sake of homeland peace,” Mujammel added. He explained the thankfulness of disabled to the government for giving them a chance to show their unlimited abilities and creativities in all educational, sport, practical and artistic fields.
 
The celebration contained other exiting shows such as that of operetta which was performed and translated to the sign language by the handicapped chanting band from the different associations.
 
Another exciting show was the play which was full of funny and affective in the same time. The play reflected some problems encountering disabled people and the concerns they are suffering during their lives such as that of marginalization they feel among society. Beside, the play suggested that the knowledge and education is the best weapon in which they could exceed the state of marginalization.   Those with a handicap explained that they are effectual members of society. They proved that their disabilities, either physical or mental, should not obstruct them of giving their best to the homeland and nation.

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