When Islamic Relief launched the Community Based Rehabilitation Centre addressing and treating people with disability, we were confronted with a community lacking information on accepting people with disabilities.

Lack of Disability Education Isolates People With Disability From Society

In 2000, Lebanon passed a law guaranteeing everyone with a disability the right to access education and other services. However, only a few  facilities in Lebanon have changed to accommodate for people with disabilities. 

Despite the demand for special-need services, the community negligence on disability rights has affected integration, education access and opportunity for many individuals with special needs.  

Human Rights Watch released a 75 page report earlier this year on Schools in Lebanon Discriminating Against Children with Disabilities. Few schools in Lebanon have taken steps to address the public issue, with recent policies going underway in 2018 to provide the children right of education.  

Single Mother in Lebanon Abandoned Due to Son with Disability 

Chivan was born with severe muscle paralysis, a health condition that limits his body movement. His mother, Asiya, was beaten during her pregnancy resulting in trauma that caused Chivan to develop epilepsy.  

When Chivans’ father, Yousef, discovered his son had muscle paralysis, he refused the reality that his family “been hit by epilepsy” and did not take responsibility to take care of them. As a result Yousef left his family behind.

“He left us in this situation and didn’t even think about us” Asiya said. 

Chivan, two years of age, benefits from regular physiotherapy sessions at the community based rehabilitation and early intervention centre. [/caption]

Islamic Relief Australia launched and has implemented a Community Based Rehabilitation Centre in South Lebanon. The Centre’s Specialists work with Chivan by providing services special to his needs. Chivan  is dependent on chronic medications and ongoing physiotherapy sessions which hopefully may improve his situation.

Chivan lacks the ability to move at all. His muscles are almost fully inactive and his case requires consistent follow up and treatment. He has been benefiting from sessions in the Early Intervention Unit since May 2017 and the specialists continue to support him to be able to stand. 

Chivan is 2-years of age, and currently receives chronic medications and ongoing physiotherapy sessions that address his disability hopefully improving his situation.

The centre is supporting disabled children residing in the Saida area through providing them with physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy services in addition to sessions in special education and psychotherapy.

Inviting Locals to Take Part in Activities with People of Disability

The project holds recreational activities to tackle current anti-disability sentiments.  We invite parents of the children, community members and older people with disabilities to take part in recreational activities.

The project interacts with the South Lebanese community. People with disability should not be excluded from public space and everyday life. In the long term, we aim to deliver acceptance and integration of PWDs in Lebanon.

Islamic Relief also conducts workshops for PWD. Workshops cover a variety of topics which assist in facilitating community integration such as life skills and independent support.

Since the onset of the project over 1,000 people have benefited from the specialised services provided by these programs. 

More information on the Community Based Rehabilitation Centre can be found here.

Supporting disabled Palestinian refugee children residing in the Saida area through providing them with physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy services in addition to sessions in special education and psychotherapy