BarakaBits
  • Business
    • Social Entrepreneurship
    • Women-Led Enterprises
    • Youth in Business
  • The Arts
    • Art & Photography
    • Books, Blogs & Poetry
    • Design, Fashion & Architecture
    • Music
    • Theater & Dance
    • TV, Film & Online Video
  • Dailylife
    • Challenge to Change
    • Discovery
    • DIY & Life Hacks
    • Food for Thought
    • Heritage
    • Travel
    • Wellness Inside Out
  • Education
    • #NeverStopLearning
    • Classroom 2.0
    • The VIP Section
  • Environment
    • Green Policy
    • Sustainable Design
    • Upcycling & Recycling
  • Science & Tech
    • Lab to Life
  • #Barakability
    • AMENA
    • Memory Bank
    • Opportunities
    • Portraits
  • Countries
  • Submit a Story
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Subscription Form
BarakaBits
  • Business
    • Social Entrepreneurship
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Women-Led Enterprises
    • Youth in Business
  • The Arts
    • Art & Photography
    • Books, Blogs & Poetry
    • Design, Fashion & Architecture
    • Music
    • Theater & Dance
    • TV, Film & Online Video
  • Dailylife
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Science & Tech
  • #Barakability
  • عربي
  • #Barakability
  • #NeverStopLearning
  • Art & Photography
  • Classroom 2.0
  • Education
  • NGOs, Nonprofits & Charities
  • The Arts

Turning Disability to Ability: Opening Eyes to a World of Art

  • June 26, 2014
  • No comments
  • 2 minute read
Total
31
Shares
31
0
0
0
0
0

Photography: Sami Haven

Imagine not really knowing the color of the tranquil cerulean blue of the ocean, or the vibrant crimson of a pomegranate. Imagine, then, that your visual impairment could have been prevented if at a young age you could have had access to treatment.

The Seeing is Believing initiative is a collaboration between Standard Chartered Bank and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. By matching donations collected through their site Seeing is Believing, the initiative seeks to eradicate unnecessary blindness from a young age by raising funds to pay for treatments for families that might not otherwise be able to afford it, causing their child’s sight to be permanently damaged or lost.

Under the umbrella of that initiative, Jordanian Suheil Baqaeen created a project for visually impaired and blind children, ranging from ages 8 to 16, from the Royal Academy for the Blind. The workshop had the children working with various mediums and textures — from acrylics to oil paints and pastels — to create emotive pieces of art. The project aimed to include the children in an activity they might previously have felt left out of due to their impairment, and served as an inspiring and therapeutic hobby. “Before we began, I had the students smell the colors. I wanted them to imagine how to draw before they began, and visualize with all their senses how to create. I always say that eyes are useless when the mind is blind,'” adds Suheil.

The final pieces were displayed at the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts. Standard Chartered CEO Ahmad Abu Eideh commented, saying: “We are very proud that the final pieces created by the children were exhibited at the Jordan Gallery of Fine Arts. We hope to continue supporting the Academy for many years to come.” 

And that’s #peoplehelpingpeople.

For more information:  Suheil Baqaeen, Seeing is Believing Initiative, Photographer Sami Haven

31
0
1
0
Share 31
Tweet 0
Total
32
Shares
Share 31
Tweet 0
Pin it 1
Related Topics
  • art
  • barakability
  • BarakaBits
  • Blind
  • children
  • Creativity
  • IAPB
  • Initiative
  • Jordan
  • positivity
  • PreventingBlindness
  • seeingisbelieving
  • StandardChartered
Lena Kassicieh

Lena Kassicieh, a socio-cultural researcher, journalist and photographer, brings a diverse analytical perspective to BarakaBits. Of Palestinian descent, Lena writes inspiring stories about individuals and organizations working to improve their local communities. Her love of the MENA region shines through her work, and her energy, voice and perspective have been a cornerstone of BarakaBits vision.

Previous Article
  • #Barakability
  • Discovery
  • Lifestyle
  • Wellness Inside Out

3 Places You Can Go Scuba Diving in the Red Sea… With a Wheelchair

  • June 26, 2014
View Post
Next Article
Sharine Atif
  • #Barakability
  • Business
  • The Arts
  • TV, Film & Online Video
  • Women-Led Enterprises

How to Raise $10,000 and Change a Woman’s Life. Meet Egypt’s Most Tenacious Filmmaker

  • June 27, 2014
View Post

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our newsletter

You May Also Like
View Post
  • Education

Joining the Healthcare Industry with an Online Degree

  • July 21, 2021
View Post
  • The Arts
  • TV, Film & Online Video

10 Internationally-acclaimed Arabic Movies

  • February 1, 2021
View Post
  • #Barakability
  • Women-Led Enterprises

A Time of Crisis: Lebanon’s Kafala Victims Need You

  • May 4, 2020
View Post
  • Education

Top Websites That Offer Help with Academic Assignments for Students

  • February 17, 2020
View Post
  • Art & Photography
  • The Arts

Planning a trip to the UAE? Here’s a list of the ten best photography locations across the Country!

  • April 7, 2019
View Post
  • Education

3 best Study Abroad Programs in the Middle East

  • October 18, 2018
View Post
  • Education

5 Reasons to Get Your Essay Online, for Cheap

  • June 19, 2018
View Post
  • Education

3 Best Websites for Getting Writing Help Online

  • February 27, 2018

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending
  • 1
    Six Reasons to Invest in Dubai Property
  • 2
    How Does a Sharia Mortgage Work?
  • 3
    Joining the Healthcare Industry with an Online Degree
  • 4
    3 Must-Haves in a Job Listing Post
  • 5
    5 Reasons Why You Should Buy a Dishwasher
Get some good news to your email

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our newsletter

Countries
Libya Yemen Algeria Jordan United Arab Emirates Turkey Iraq Syria Oman Tunisia Egypt Saudi Arabia Iran Morocco Palestine Lebanon Kuwait QatarBahrain
Stay Connected
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube Subscribers
Categories
  • Business
  • The Arts
  • Lifestyle
  • Education
  • Environment
  • #Barakability
Company
  • About Us
  • Archives
  • Intern at BarakaBits
  • Submit a Story
  • Why Advertise With Us?
  • Contact Us
BarakaBits
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
Good News from the Middle East

Input your search keywords and press Enter.