AJMAN // Kaltham Obaid Al Matrooshi is keen to show how her family and the community helped her emerge stronger from a car accident that left her a paraplegic 23 years ago.
“We need to change people’s ideas,” said the administrative manager of Ajman primary healthcare centre.
“We must find more jobs for people with disabilities so people can understand that they too can contribute. We must give them a chance. The accident gave me a chance to find support and cooperation.”
The 1990 road accident killed two of Ms Al Matrooshi’s three brothers and a nephew. She rebuilt her life with support from her family and colleagues.
Her brother, who worked in Abu Dhabi, moved to Sharjah to be closer to his family. Supervisors at work moved her office space from the first floor to an easily accessible area on the ground floor of the Ajman health centre.
“If we are sad, then people around us are also sad,” she said with a smile.
“After the accident, I began to feel I was born two times – first my biological birth and then surviving the accident. I had to replace my legs with a wheelchair. My mind was OK, it had to become stronger.”
She became involved with the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, a charity that cares for people with special needs, and with Al Thiqah Club for the Handicapped, which provides rehabilitation and counselling.
“Three gates opened for me,” she said. “The first gate was acceptance from my family, the second gate was Sharjah Humanitarian and Sheikha Jameela [bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, the head of the charity] and the third gate was my colleagues.”
At work, she wins praise for her dedication.
“Kaltham is hardworking and clever, she is very social and always smiling so people feel they have known her a long time,” said Abdullah Jasim, the human resources manager at the centre, who has worked with her for 20 years.
“She has shown that handicapped people work harder and want to do much more than normal people. Maybe this is because they want to show us how much they can achieve.”
At a meeting last week between senior officials of the centre, teachers from the Ajman Rehabilitation School said inclusion helped both sides.
Students have been placed in the immigration department, a bank and a supermarket.
“People think the handicapped are limited but when they work side by side they realise how reliable they are,” said Fauzia Al Ali, a teacher.
“Working together shows in a very powerful way the things the handicapped can do,” said Mona Al Kaabi, another teacher.
Like most people with special needs, Ms Al Matrooshi has had to learn to deal with strangers staring or pointing at her.
“Always people look,” she said. “I ignore, sometimes I smile.”
It took Ms Al Matrooshi a decade and rigorous physiotherapy sessions to build up the strength in her arms to be able to get behind the wheel again.
Initially her sister or a driver accompanied her to volunteer meetings.
She drove before the accident, but needed to renew her licence on a modified car with hand levers to operate the brake and accelerator.
“I felt bad that my sister had to wait for me for hours but with my licence I created freedom for myself,” she said.
“First I thought how to get over my fear because the car was the main reason for my handicap. I asked myself why I was putting myself back in a car. I was very afraid of the car, I had to remove that fear, I had to be strong. You can feel sorry for yourself but then it must end. Allah has His own plan for you.”
At the Ajman meeting last week, Ms Al Matrooshi persuaded Ghanim and Khalid, two young adults, to take the microphone.
They hesitated at first but then stated their names and spoke of their work filing papers and stamping letters.
“We must create an environment for all people to grow,” said Ms Al Matrooshi.
“Give them a chance to build their ability, be patient because we are all part of the same society.”
rtalwar@thenational.ae