JEDDAH, 1 May — More than 45 care centers have been established by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs across the Kingdom for the disabled. This was announced yesterday by Awad Al-Radadi, deputy minister for social affairs, at a seminar on “assimilation and rehabilitation of people with special needs in society” held at the Jeddah Help Center.
The ministry has instructed the private sector companies that at least 2 percent of their employees should be people with special needs. “We urge that private sector companies to give these people a chance to work in the industries. Then they will see what talents they possess,” said Al-Radadi.
The seminar opened by Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed was followed by cultural shows by the children with special needs.
The center introduced a young sculptor, Rajeh Al-Khamajani, who designed a beautiful monument. “Rajeh was amazing. We discovered his talent and we urged his parents to encourage him to develop it,” said Khaled Al-Juffali, member of the board of trustees. “He ended up designing a great sculpture. We asked Rabie Al-Akhras, a well-known sculptor, to build the monument on the model which has been unveiled at Al-Malek Road,” said Al-Juffali.
Prince Abdul Majeed unveiled the sculpture and was amazed by its beauty. “I’m overwhelmed by what Rajeh did, and this proves that there are people in this society who can do a lot if only they were given a chance ... disability is never an obstacle,” said the prince.
The center said it managed to get a number of its graduates employed different sectors. One of the graduates works as a teaching assistance at the center itself. “The young girl proved that she has a lot to offer to her colleagues,” said Basem Al-Khateeb, the center’s public relations officer.
