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A community support group is staging an exhibition this Friday focusing on children with special needs and providing families with advice from experts.
The event, held at the Multinational School in Adliya, was set up by the Special Families Support (SFS) team, which currently has more than 260 members. It will feature therapists, paediatricians, psychologists, rehabilitation equipment, skill assessors, kinesiologists, genetic disorder researchers, book shops and more to familiarise families with the available services on the island.
Fadia Qureshi, 42, an artist from Mahooz, founded SFS for concerned parents, enabling them to meet regularly and to discuss issues surrounding their special needs children.
Mrs Qureshi said: “SFS Bahrain was formed in 2012 after the birth of my son Shayaan, now seven, who was born with no hands.
“The main SFS is based in Dubai and was started by Gulshan Kavarana in 1999 after the birth of their autistic daughter Zara. The branch in Jeddah was formed by the mother of a boy with down syndrome.
“Our team is made up of mothers or sisters of special needs children or those that work in a specialised field for special needs like therapists and educators. No matter where we are, all branches of SFS have the same goal ... to help people for free.”
The group holds weekly meetings in which they share their experiences including searching for specialists, opticians, special educators, therapists or special shoe-makers for their children.
“This exhibition is important to all of us. We hope to familiarise the services to parents and individuals with special needs in order to save them time running around the island searching for something they desperately need, as we did,” Mrs Qureshi said.
“There are many children with special needs in Bahrain and we are trying to get as many members as possible so that we may be of assistance to them when and if they need it.”
The concept came about after members of SFS attended a meeting with special needs professionals. They then decided to hold a fair where all facilities and services would be gathered in one place.
Special needs schools and centres have also been invited to the event, which will be held from 11.30am to 3.30pm.
There will be therapists focusing on physiotherapy, speech, behaviour, occupational, dance and music, and yoga. The exhibition will also include five doctors highlighting paediatrics, psychology and research on genetics and hereditary ailments. There will be a talk on genetic and inherited disorders after 1pm.
Aside from lectures, special needs children will perform songs and dances at 1pm and other children will be selling handmade items.
Mrs Qureshi said: “I definitely intend on making this an annual event with more participants displaying their expertise and services each year. If it makes a difference to even one person’s life, our goal is achieved.
“Maybe through the exhibition people would even get to meet new families and children with similar conditions. That itself is therapeutic for families.”
The SFS group is also working on starting a ‘special buddy’ or ‘special friend’ system to form bonds between special needs children and students from mainstream schools.
Mrs Qureshi added: “They would be introduced through the SFS group based on common interests and abilities and from there on left to be friends forever.
“To people out there, please accept physically and mentally different people for who they are. No one prays for a special needs child to be born into the family but they are sent. Yes they are actually sent by God for a purpose.
“They too can change lives of others. I just wish everyone can make a special needs friend and see how complete they are, how able they are and how respectable they are.
“Just because they do not speak up or show any emotions does not mean they do not understand when they are neglected or stared at. Believe me, they understand!
“All creations of God deserve the same love, honour and respect. Try to make them into useful people of the society. Give them jobs; try to see them for their abilities, not disabilities. And parents of such children I request you to be proud of your special children. Struggle for them, fight for them but do not neglect them thinking they are useless. Your attitudes make them worthless not their minds and bodies.”
For details, contact 33244555 or 39981418, email sfsbahrain@hotmail.com or follow SFS Bahrain on Facebook.
