ÎBTÎSAM AXFÎR

Benghazi – Visually impaired people face many challenges in Libya and there is no rehabilitation center for them in the country. The Libyan Akon Organization for the Visually Impaired has started the Akon Rehabilitation Project in order to protect the rights of visually impaired women, enhance their capabilities and integrate them into society. Amany al-Sharee, the Executive Director of the organization, told us that they decided to start such a project after a course organized by the French NGO ACTED.

The project was selected among 80 projects

Amany al-Sharee presented their project to the ACTED after the course. “Our project was selected among 80 projects and we named the project Akon. In Libya, there are no projects for people with disabilities, especially for people with visual disabilities. Our organization has carried out activities for the visually impaired and the aim of our project is to support visually impaired women,” she told NuJINHA.

Awareness-raising activities for parents

Stating that visually impaired women face many challenges in the country, Amany al-Sharee said that there is no organization in the country to support visually impaired people. “The visually impaired women are subjected to ostracism in Libya. No one marries a visually impaired woman in fear that she is not able to take care of the family. The rehabilitation of visually impaired women is important to pave the way for them to participate in the labor force. Our project aims to hold awareness-raising activities for parents to support their children by creating an environment suitable for their visually impaired children.”

Project program

Speaking about the project program, Amany al-Sharee said, “The training program of the project will last four months. The training program consists of several stages. The women will take rehabilitation courses. Then, they will learn how to cook, take care of children and the family and sew.”