Changing People's lives

Ali Mohammed Hulisi had spent twelve years in bed. Unable to move after a bout of malaria affected his nervous system, his life seemed to be over. After being the sole provider for his five children, his sister, his mother, and his wife, he became completely dependent on them to survive. Unable to walk, he was confined to his bedroom, where he spent his days dreaming of better days. After selling his land in order to afford treatment, he realized that his money was being wasted fruitlessly, as no improvement was being achieved. Due to the fact that modern medicine had not worked for him, he started going to a traditional healer which also proved to be futile. After many disappointments and frustrations, Ali gave up all of his hope and decided to remain at home in his bed. One day, a visitor came to his house. She advised him to go to ADRA’s office and get physical rehabilitation from a man named Abdullah Yassin. Some days later, Ali came to the ADRA office in Hais without much hope, as he already knew that modern medicine and traditional healers had not been able to help him in the past. After about a year of treatment, Ali Mohammed Hulisi is now able to walk. Our office provided him with daily treatment free of charge, and also trained his wife on how to help him carry out his excercises at home. A couple days ago, I saw Ali Mohammed with a wide smile in his face. He came to our office on his two legs, to wave our team goodbye as his treatment had finally ended. As Ali, many villagers in Hais have regained a sense of hope. As we all know, anything is possible under the sky.

The Story of Assala

Assala Abdulkader is an extraordinary Yemeni girl. She is smart, clever, and fun. If you are sad, she knows how to put a smile on your face. If you are gloomy, she knows how to brighten up your day. Her big black eyes are always filled with love and hope. As all exceptional girls, she lives in an exceptional country. Yemen, her native land, is a wondrous land where camels, falcons, and chamaleons abound. Its sights, sounds, and smells are unique, and its people, the most hospitable and friendly in the whole world. The women in Yemen wear a long black dress called ‘balto’, and cover their faces with a black veil called ‘niqab’, while men usually wear white robes and golden belts. Assala’s hometown, Hais, is in the middle of the desert. Camels and sheep are common, and most people are fishermen and goat herders. Even though you would think Assala is the luckiest girl in the universe, she has been struggling all of her life with one particular thing: she was born deaf. In her silent world, Assala did not know how to communicate with the people around her. She would always try hard, but there was no way she could get her point across. Many days, months, and years went by, and Assala became very lonely and sad. As her suffering continued to increase, she became increasingly frustrated and upset. The fact that she could not go to school like the rest of the children made her feel isolated, and she didn’t have many friends. Her four sisters did not understand her, and would not play with her as she never knew how to follow the rules. Yemen being a disadvantaged country, there was no place for a special child like her. One day, Assala’s life changed. While walking down the street, she met a friendly man who noticed her disability. The friendly man quickly started teaching her several key motions in sign language. Assala became very happy as he was the first person who had taken the time to understand her problem and bring hope to her silent life. Bakheel, ADRA’s sign language professor, was happy to discover Assala. He went to her house and talked to her family. Her mother was so happy she started crying. Her father gave Bakheel a hug and sent his daughter to class. Assala is now a ray of light. She is always energetic and lively, and loves to hang out in ADRA’s office. She has found a safe haven where children like her can learn how to connect with the world and share their joys and their sorrows. These days, when Assala does not come to the office, we all miss her. Girls like her are hard to find!