PRCS Concludes the Peer Support Project for Persons With Disabilities in Khan Younis

 Gaza - 31/5/2016:  PRCS concluded activities held under the Peer Support Project for Persons with Disabilities implemented in cooperation with EducAid, an Italian NGO, with support from the Italian Cooperation Office.

The seven-month project aimed at providing psychosocial support to persons with disabilities, especially thosewhose disabilities result from the 2014 Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip. It offered training to disabled persons so they would become mentors for their peers in the local community, given their shared experiences and emotions.

According to Dallal Al Taji, Continuous Education Officer at PRCS’ Capacity Development College in Khan Younis, “this training started with a ten-day course in Bethlehem provided by an Italian expert in this field. The course included information on the rights of the disabled and peer support sessions. Participants then went on to train two groups of disabled persons including from among PRCS’ staff and beneficiaries as well as from civil society organizations. This was a unique experience which allowed me to share my experience and inform my disabled peers of their rights and responsibilities”.

Speaking about this project, Hussein Abou Mansour, EducAid Representative, said: “This concept was tried in 60 countries and is implemented for the first time in Palestine. It was met with great success and effectively contributed to allaying participants’ social and psychological stress. It also helped inform them about their rights which are enshrined in the Palestinian Constitution and the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Discussion sessions raised rights-related issues and heard the reaction and experiences of disabled persons. The project aims at changing mentalities, informing persons with disabilities of their rights, and realizing them, so they can help build local communities”.

Salwa Tobasi (27) is speech impaired. Her sister Iman (31) is both hearing and vision-impaired. Both took part in this project. Using sign-language to relate her experience in the project, Salwa said: “My sister and I benefited greatly from this project thanks to which we are now cognizant of our rights. The course also boosted my self-confidence and made me more capable of self-realization. I conveyed to my sister the content of the course via tactile signing. This was a great experience for both of us”.

A ceremony was held at the end of the project with the participation of trainees. It included recreational activities, cultural quizzes, games, and concluding sessions which issued recommendations on the rights of the disabled in the Gaza Strip. An educational play was also performed by participants on the right to employment for persons withdisabilities.

 End.