During March
2014, I volunteered in Abilitiesme exhibition and conference at ADNEC. An
exhibition mainly about special needs.There, I was standing at Emirates Autism
Society stand accompanied by some of the founders of this society telling
people about what it is and the goals of the society. It is a non-profit
society found by mothers of autistic children to help other mothers and parents
by workshops, meetings and even counselling to guide them how’s the right way to deal with their children. During
my volunteering hours, I met parents of special needs and heard about how they
feel and how confused they are but the supervisor from the society was willing
to help her with anyway possible.
In the exhibition, I met special needs people
and found about their acheivements ,for example, there was a group of boys with
intellectual disabilities working at the desert group which is a landscaping
company. This company decided to adopt those people and employ them, they trained
them and taught them all what they are in need to know.
On the other
hand, I noticed only people that work in this field or have a special needs
person are coming to the exhibition, not many are coming to get knowledge.
Although it was interesting to know about their acheivements in the conference.
I learnt a
lot from this experience, hoe to deal with them without hurting them or being
offensive, I was told by the organizers there that I shouldn’t offer any help
unless they ask for it because they lived with this situation for years and they are able to
move around on their own.
I got
inspired by a professor from Seoul University that lost coordination and
movement in an accident but can still teach and do all his work through the
iPad even though he is in this situation. This made me realize how able these
people are to achieve and give their community and how hard working they are. I
see those people could reach high positions in the country and might be even
more productive than normal people.
