Being a person with disability has never been easy in any society in the world. In Palestine, however, this seems to be exceedingly difficult, particularly because disability is often viewed with prejudice of being very dangerous as it is considered “contagious”, and exceptionally shameful and disgraceful for the family of the disabled. Being held closed up in their homes and kept away from the society; the disabled were given no other option but to think similarly.

It is only in the past ten years that the tide has slowly started to turn and more people with disabilities are seen in public life and on streets of Palestinian cities. Even though Diakonia’s rehabilitation programme has been running for more than 18 years, we feel that the struggle for the rights of the disabled people is still in its early bloom. After years of being voiceless, the disabled themselves have started challenging stereotypes that had been created about them.

The 18 year old Alaa’ Ghneimat from Beit Jalla lost a half of her body when she was five. Her best friend and she were on their way home from school when a truck driver lost control over his vehicle and run over the two girls. Her friend died instantly and the struggle for Alaa’s life continued for seven months after the accident. She was put under an induced coma for one month in order to avoid the horrific pains of the surgeries that were crucial for saving the upper part of her body. Alaa’ says that she cannot and does not want to remember the accident, but she rather wants to concentrate on what is ahead of her.

Studies psychology to understand people’s behaviour

Today, 13 years after the accident, she is a charming young woman beaming with self-confidence and bursting with life. She is the best student in her class and desperately wants to study psychology so that, as she says, she can better understand the meaning of people’s behaviour towards her and towards each other. Her best friends tend to be boys because, she says, they are direct and open while the girls often seem to be embarrassed to ask questions about her disability. Alaa’ says that she considers herself lucky because her family is very caring and supportive. Every morning her three brothers carry her and her wheelchair from their flat on the second floor to the car that was donated to the family, in order to bring her to school and later also back home. With help of our partner Community Based Rehabilitation Alaa’s parents will prepare an apartment for her in the ground floor of the house, so that she can be more independent and go out to see her friends more often, something she does every day. Her greatest wish is to study abroad, but, she says, “It seems impossible for this wish to be fulfilled, because my family simply cannot afford it”.

Important to improve the confidence of disabled

Unlike Alaa’, Ola Abu Al-Ghaib’s family had a different stance towards her disability. Ola got a spinal cord cancer when she was 14. The removal operation was very risky as the cancer encircled the nerve controlling her movement, but the doctors considered the operation to be crucial. The cancer was removed, but Ola lost her ability to walk and the control over her right hand. She was kept at home for three years after the surgery because at that time her parents both couldn’t afford to adjust their apartment to Ola’s new needs and also felt slightly ashamed to let her out. After three years, Ola decided that it is up to her to change her situation. She moved from Ramallah to Bethlehem and went back to school despite her parents’ opposition.

Today Ola is a happy 34 years old woman whose private life concentrates on her husband and their four year old boy. Her professional life however is focused on running Diakonia’s partner organization Stars of Hope Society (SHS) which mission is “to improve the lives and life chances of women with disabilities”. Ola says that she would like make a difference, so that the disabled women gain confidence to improve their life quality and therewith fulfil the motto of SHS: “Why be followers, when we can be leaders”.

Alaa' Ghneimat was hit by a truck when she was five and lost half of her body. Today she is a self-confident young woman and one of the best students in her class. Photo: Diakonia

Ola Abu Al-Ghaib was diagnosed with cancer and became paralysed when the doctors removed it. Today she is running Diakonia’s partner organisation Stars of Hope Society (SHS) which mission is “to improve the lives and life chances of women with disabilities”. Photo: Diakonia