With his index finger, he wrote his name on the sandy floor -- Habib Hamdoon Adam. Then he smiled and started waving his hands in expressive sign language. Habib, who lives in El Fasher, North Darfur, is one of hundreds of disabled members of the Sudanese Centre for Disabled Persons.

Habib Hamdoon, a dumb person, writes his name on the sand. 

Established in 1987, the centre has been the only care facility for disabled Darfuris where they can be assured of compassionate treatment and support.

“Disabled Darfuris suffer more than any other group in the region. They are vulnerable to severe poverty and, because of their situation, they need support in almost every aspect of their lives,” says the centre’s Secretary General, Mohamed Adam Ibrahim.  He is 36 years old and has a physical disability in his right leg. He has embraced and accepted it positively rather than giving up. “Actually, my condition has motivated me to help other disabled persons in the community. I advocate for their rights and network to get them the support they need,” he says. In addition to his work for his peers, Mohamed has been teaching in primary and high schools since 1992. He is also an active participant in several youth activities. 

The World report on violence and health, published by the World Health Organization in 1992, states that while

millions die as a consequence of injuries due to violence, “many more survive…, but live with a permanent disability”. This is certainly true in Darfur. Although there are currently no official statistics, there was a remarkable increase of disabled persons as a result of the conflict. According to Mohamed, the centre was able to provide basic services and medical care for the disabled who came with the first group of internally displaced persons to El Fasher in 2003. They came from Tawilla, Korma, Jabal Siy and Tarti in North Darfur. And it continues to serve and support these survivors. “So far, we try to provide services for all kinds of disabled persons in spite of our limited resources,” he explained.

                                                                                                           Sheij Aldine makes crutches in the workshop at the center.

Building capacity through training and care

In addition to daily meals, physical therapy and medicine, the centre trains male disabled members through its in-house workshop to produce walking sticks, special wooden shoes for disabled children and manual wheel chairs.  Sheikh-Eldin Abdullah Ahmed, a 33 year- old polio victim, is a long-term member who has benefitted from the workshop. “I joined the centre in 1995 and there I made many friends and learnt a useful craft. However, we need modern machines to be able to manufacture better quality products,” he said. Sheikh-Eldin is married and has two children. 

Women also receive training to create handmade crafts, such as the traditional and world famous Darfuri baskets, embroidered table linen and handbags. They are able to earn some money from the sale of these goods, including through exhibitions organized by the centre. Deputy Manager in the centre’s women section, Salma Mohamed Ahmed, says ninety-five per cent of the actual cost of the products goes to those who create them. Salma was appointed by the North Darfur state government as part of its support for the facility.

As for disabled children, the child care section receives all cases -- from physical to mental disabilities. Parents from all over Darfur bring their children. Three months ago, Fayza Al Tayib, brought her daughter, Nabaa Al Mutasem, so she could receive therapy for her feet, which were debilitated since birth. Fayza is now optimistic about her daughter’s situation. “The therapists put wooden shoes on her feet and gently exercise them. It’s been almost three months now and I can see that she has improved and is now able to stand with little help.”

Three-year old Khattab Khaled has a mental disability. He has been receiving treatment from the centre since he was 6 months old. His mother, Nawal Umar, from El Geneina, says her son got his disability due to a lack of oxygen at birth and she takes him for medicine and mild physical exercises. 

Khattab Khaled, a three-year old child with mental disability, is sitting on his chair at the center.

The facility networks, advocates and organizes awareness raising activities in the attempt to draw the attention of the outside world to its dire needs and to gain better recognition for the rights of the disabled in Darfuri society.  “We’ve received assistance from, among others, the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Leprosy Mission, as well as from the local charitable organization, Al Zakat Union, which gave us specialized motorcycles. But we still severely lack resources.  I’m using this opportunity to call on the Sudanese Government and the international community to visit our centre to assess the humanitarian needs of our members and to support us,” Mohamed says.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities – what it means in Darfur

Every year, as the world observes the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December, all of the centre’s members look forward to celebrating jointly with disabled persons worldwide. This year, plans are afoot for several activities, including an exhibition of their handmade crafts, poetry readings and dissemination of messages to promote the rights disabled persons.

The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) will also ramp up its awareness raising activities to ensure that the world becomes a better place in which disabled persons can live productive lives. Keeping in mind the theme, “Together for a better world for all: Including persons with disabilities in development”, the Mission plans to continue to raise awareness through dissemination of locally themed material to communities throughout the region to improve the lot of this still largely marginalized group in society.

Since the first Day was observed some thirty years ago, experience has shown that when disabled persons are empowered to participate in and lead the process of development, their involvement creates opportunities for everyone -- those who are disabled and those who are not.  Including disabled persons in development discussions and in addressing disability issues when creating policies will ensure their full participation in society.

Story by Ala Mayyahi

Photos by Albert González Farran