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
  • Lifestyle
  • Wellness Inside Out

One Woman Is Breaking the Stigma of Being Disabled in Saudi Arabia –and She Started Door to Door

  • March 13, 2015
  • No comments
  • 1 minute read
Total
1
Shares
1
0
0
0
0
0

“Back in the 1980s, when mainstream notions of inclusion were still not considered feasible, being disabled in Saudi Arabia meant requiring special services, which were not available in either hospitals or schools, ” says Maha Ghandour, who runs the HELP Center for Guidance and Counseling in Jeddah. So she began to raise the issue.

“We literally had to knock on the doors of hospitals and schools to ask if there were children born with disabilities. Parents needed answers to questions no one could help them with, and so the ball started rolling,” she said in an interview with BarakaBits. What started as a pilot project run by volunteers in a small unit in a residential compound soon turned into Saudi Arabia’s first private non-profit dedicated to intellectual disabilities.

Setting up the institution not only required skill, but a good dose of pragmatism, so a brown door with the word “HELP” written in blue was the center’s first branding. “Disability was not socially accepted back then and if we had not carefully chosen our name, many parents would not have brought their children,” she says.

Today, the center grew to a well established entity in Jeddah, where science labs, drama and music programs, and community workshops help ensure that each child reaches full potential.  “We have never spent a single cent on advertising campaigns since our establishment; it’s the parents who tell their stories,” Ghandour proudly states.

For more information: Visit the HELP Center‘s website.

1
0
0
0
Share 1
Tweet 0
Total
1
Shares
Share 1
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Related Topics
  • Baraka Bits
  • barakability
  • BarakaBits
  • Disabilities
  • Disabled
  • Disabled in Saudi Arabia
  • Good News
  • GoodNewsME
  • HELP Center
  • HELP Center for Guidance & Counseling
  • Jeddah
  • KSA
  • Maha Ghandour
  • MENA Good News
  • Middle East
  • Middle East Good News
  • NGOs in Jeddah
  • non-profits
  • non-profits in Saudi Arabia
  • Saudi Arabia
Valentina Primo

Journalist, globetrotter, and determined idealist. Since Valentina left her home country of Argentina, she has searched for ways to build bridges between cultures and foster dialogue. Her previous work in international organizations in Italy and Germany fed her passion for the world of development, while her 8-year journalistic experience in Argentina and Egypt increased her curiosity for everything that challenges the stereotype. She holds a BA in Journalism and a Masters in Peace Studies with a specialization in Human Rights.

Previous Article
self help books
  • #Barakability
  • Lifestyle
  • Wellness Inside Out

3 Self-help Books You Need to Read

  • March 13, 2015
View Post
Next Article
  • Uncategorized

5 Things We Can Learn From Cairo Confessions

  • March 14, 2015
View Post

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our newsletter

You May Also Like
View Post
  • Lifestyle

5 Reasons Why You Should Buy a Dishwasher

  • April 29, 2021
View Post
  • Lifestyle

Random Video Calling Apps: Your Doorway to the World

  • January 19, 2021
Palace of Golden Horses, Malaysia
View Post
  • Lifestyle

Arabian Falcon Holidays: Everything You Need to Know

  • November 23, 2020
View Post
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel

A Foreigners Guide to Dubai

  • November 7, 2020
View Post
  • Lifestyle

Plastic Surgeon Dr. Ghofrani

  • February 24, 2020
View Post
  • Lifestyle

Top 5 golf courses in the Middle East

  • February 17, 2020
View Post
  • Lifestyle

Importance of Confidentiality for plastic surgery

  • February 16, 2020
View Post
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel

The Benefit of a Second Passport for Business, and How to Get One

  • September 30, 2019

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.