Ramez*, 12, is a sixth grader born with a physical disability, which has made it difficult for him to move around without being carried by one of his parents.
“My son was born with a disability with his hands and legs,” said Abdulrahman, Ramez’ father. “I struggle to look after him the way I want to and provide him with the medications and care he needs because of our financial situation. Ramez loves going to school, but because he can’t walk to school, I used to carry him on my back every day. Lately I have been trying to spend all my time trying to make ends meet and provide food for the table. Ramez had to miss some weeks from school because there was no one to take him.”
The USAID-funded Gateway to Education project, implemented by Save the Children, has been able to step in to help Ramez—one of 741 children identified as having a disability out of more than 1,600 children from 106 schools screened. After mapping available services, the project began referring children with mobility, visual, and hearing disabilities to centers or clinics in Aden specializing in diagnostic testing to provide assistive devices.
The project referred Ramez for further medical examination to confirm the disability and its severity. After confirmation, Ramez received a USAID-sponsored wheelchair to help him move around, participate, and stay in school.
“This wheelchair I received is strong and cool! It can take me to school. I like it, it is new and awesome,” said Ramez. “I am happy because I can now go to school and to the mosque by myself. I want to learn and do things by myself without help all the time.”
Already at a young age, he has grand and noble aspirations to help others.
“If I was the president of Yemen, I would be a wise president and help all the people of Yemen,” he said. “I would help all the children, especially the children with disabilities. I will help them with their education and not forget about them. I wish organizations would help children who need traveling for medical treatment. When I grow up, I want to be a doctor. It has been my dream since I was born.”
Ramez has encouraging words for others living with disabilities. “My message to children who are like me is to not give up and to continue their education and to never say, ‘That’s it, I don’t want to do anything in life’.”
Over the next three years, the USAID-funded project team plans to support up to 1,000 children with disabilities to access quality basic education through referrals to medical and rehabilitation services, education placement, and counseling support.
The project prioritizes support for deaf and hard of hearing children with testing and hearing aids, visual disability with testing and eyeglasses, and physical disability, mainly by providing wheelchairs. Education placement entails referring children with disabilities to special schools, integrated schools and to partners who provide education and rehabilitation support services.
*Names have been changed to protect their identities.
USAID Gateway to Education Project/Save the Children
