Shahd is 7 years old and lives in Marat, in Deir ez-Zor Governorate in Syria. She suffers from a congenital dislocation in her feet, which causes her mobility problems. Despite her condition, she walks every day 1,5 kilometers to reach her school Marrat Gharby, where she attends remedial classes to catch up on all the subjects.
The remedial classes are one of the activities foreseen in the project that we are implementing in Deir ez-Zor thanks to the support of Italian Cooperation, alongside them, we also organize capacity building for teachers, parents-teachers engagement initiatives, and school and community awareness raising campaigns. The school where Shahd is attending the remedial classes is also part of a rehabilitation program, which includes the renovation of 3 school facilities in Marat and the provision of school furniture and teaching materials.
When Shahd first started attending the classes, she was very shy, mostly due to some previous episodes of bullying by her peers on her condition. However, she was already determined to overcome every obstacle that stood in her way toward her dream of becoming a doctor that treats for free children with special needs. Nowadays, her favorite subject is Arabic, which is noticeable in the eloquent way that she speaks.
Her teacher, Ahmad Al-Hussein, comments on her progress: “I have noticed a change in Shahd's behavior: she has come out of her shell and developed a love for going to school. Not only that, but we have also seen significant improvement in her responsiveness to receiving information, both at school and at home".
Ahmad has been teaching for 33 years and he recently completed a training module on inclusive education and other pedagogical skills, including active learning and life skills within our project: "The process of education is based on three pillars: the book, the student, and the teacher. There must be a balance between these three pillars, and this is what the training emphasized, which played a significant role in motivating students and pulling them out of the boredom associated with old teaching methods".
In Syria, and mostly on the rural areas, access to education, and mostly to a safe and quality one, is hindered by a series of lacks: of resources, of adequate infrastructure, of accessibility, and of teachers trained for children with special needs, among others.
Shahd is one of the 700 students which we support to ensure that they have a safe and quality education, providing what is necessary at all levels for their inclusion and success in the school system.
