Abilitiesme experience Reflection

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.