When Abdullah was nine-months-old in November 2014, he was injured in a bombing raid in Syria that killed his father and destroyed his home. His head trauma caused hemiplegia, which affected his concentration and memory. He had problems talking, moving around, and controlling the movement in his left hand. He only spoke in rapid, garbled sentences.
Support from Humanity & Inclusion
In August 2018, at four-years-old, his mother took him to the HI-supported Mousawat Rehabilitation Center for the first time. There, Humanity & Inclusion’s rehabilitation team provided him with physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychotherapy, and speech therapy.
After several months of rehabilitation care, Abdullah is improving in leaps and bounds. He can walk on his own and use his left hand, which was neglected before his rehabilitation. He can also coordinate the movement in both hands.
Singing with pride!
Following his speech therapy sessions, Abdullah now uses words correctly and expresses himself in complete sentences. “The first time I saw Abdullah, his self-esteem, and self-confidence was very low,” says a psychologist with Humanity & Inclusion. “He has accepted his disability and feels more at ease with himself.” At a recreation session for children and parents, Abdullah surprised everyone when he grabbed the microphone and sang happily and confidently in front of a whole room of people.
Thriving in school
Abdullah returned to school last September. "Abdullah's life is changing,” his mother says. “His teachers really like him, and he has made new friends.”
Assisting his mother
To help with her son’s rehabilitation, Abdullah's mother now attends consultations and has been given training. She has also joined a self-help group organized by Humanity & Inclusion. "The support group helped me feel less alone and gave me hope. My life is getting better.”
Changing attitudes toward people with disabilities
She has also joined a committee set up by parents to advance the rights of people with disabilities. "The neighborhood where we live has problems accepting people with disabilities, which is the main reason why they and their caregivers feel so much frustration. We’re strong enough now to change these negative attitudes," she adds.