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Amjad Rifai is enjoying his work. The center he is running in Askar Refugee Camp, near Nablus, is equipped with physiotherapy and occupational therapy equipment, and is helping some 150 children with cerebral palsay, a nervous disorder that renders the children paralyzed. The age of the children ranges from one-day old to 16 years. CARE has provided the needed equipment, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development. Amjad and nine other friends wanted to help society. Work started with one person doing a mapping survey in a small room in the Camp. The young volunteers brought in a table and some chairs, and started a program for home visits, and worked on raising the awareness of local families so they will modify their homes and help children with cerebral palsy. With funding from the United States Agency for International Development, CARE provided the group with physiotherapy and occupational therapy equipment, a physiotherapy room for four children, another room for occupational therapy, and a special education room for three teachers and 24 children, in addition to bathrooms, supporting tools and wheelchairs for 25 children, making adjustments in 35 homes in the area, in addition to teacher training. With all this help, the Committee found it possible to integrate 45 children in areas schools. According to Amjad: “this was a dream come true.” While talking to Amjad, a woman in traditional Palestinian dress entered the room. She was introduced as Jihad Abu Rajab, better known as Im Ahmad from Balata Camp. Im Ahmad has cycle cell anemia, heart problems, disc, a rod is installed in her left foot, and she has diabetes and blood problems. Her son, 18 years old, is suffering from cerebral palsay, and Amjad and his friends are offering him guidance and training. In Ahmad finds the time to do embroidery and sell it to other women in the area camps and villages, because her son is taken care of. In Ahmad said: “life is very hard, but what can I do? I have to work to earn a living. My husband is a vegetable vendor, but everybody in the Camp is selling vegetables because there are no jobs around here. My husband is making 20 shekels per day. The embroidery I am doing is keeping us alive. My handicapped child is not working, and now he is developing problems in his eye-sight and in the future he will be totally blind.” Im Ahmad concluded by saying: “CARE is marvelous because they are helping my son, and thus they are helping me.” Another young child with cerebral palsay, Ameer ‘Iran, 15 years old, likes to come to the center to play. There, he was introduced to the organ and he enjoys playing music. I like the center here, Ammer said: “now I can use the computer, and they even gave me a mouse !” As to his hopes for the future, Ameer wants to get married and have children and a family of his own. He knows CARE International, because “I got to wear their hat and T-shirt in the summer camp,” Ameer said. Rafif Younes, Occupational Therapist with the United Nations Agency for International Development (UNRWA), does the evaluation for children with special needs, recommends home modifications, integrates the children in society, works on speech therapy and psychological care, and conducts awareness workshops for mothers. Rafif is calm and gentle, and she is not deterred by all the responsibilities she has. Lubna Hashash is the Physiotherapist and Rehabilitation Specialist. When asked if she knows of CARE, she said: “Yes of course. We have excellent cooperation with CARE, and the trainers they brought were very good and I learnt from them new things in helping marginalized groups” | ||||||
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