Irada Center celebrates graduation of (78) person with hearing and motor disability from the project of ” Gaza Youth and Women Employment” this Tuesday at Sidar Hotel.
The project had been implemented by Irada Center in cooperation with Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children, under the supervision of UNDP/PAP, and with generous fund of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
Deputy Director for International Cooperation Swiss Agency Mr. Mathi Robite expressed great feeling over this success, saing in an interview that: “what I see here is free men and women who are dare to grab their future, and despite all the challenges they still fighting for their freedom”.
Director of Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children Mr. Naeem Kabbaja pointed out that this ceremony coincides with the #International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and comes to alleviate the suffering, and to open up prospects for positive empowerment of more than (78) people with hearing and motor impairment.
People with disability are one of the marginalized groups in Gaza. The number of people with disabilities in Palestine has reached (255,000) according to the Palestinian Statistics Center in 2017, and unemployment rate reaches nearly 90%.
Director of UNDP Office Eng. Eman Hussaini expressed her gleefulness for attending the ceremony, stating that UNDP has carried out several activities and operational programs for people with disability during last years. She noted that the number of beneficiaries of the implemented programs this year is (545) young men and women who were trained in manual work such as embroidery, cooking, maintenance of mobile phones and smart devices.
For Irada’s favor, Eng. Hussaini said: “This partnership, which has been going on for years with Irada Center, we appreciate it and we are proud of it. The programs implemented by Irada are carried out with high professionalism and valuable output,”
On behalf of Graduates, trainer Noor Shamia extended his thanks and gratitude to both the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, UNDP and Irada center, praising the excellence of the training staff and the quality of services there. “This day testifies that we have overcome all challenges and obstacles, we have lived beautiful days with the family of Irada. Now, we have a dream to seek for thanks to Irada”, he said. He explained that this training has qualified him to run in the race of the labor market, and this ceremony is the opening way towards the professionalism. To his mates, he added: “You are the ones of determination, not of disability, for disability is the weakness of the mind, not the body.”
