RIYADH: “Imagine traveling to a country without knowing the language that people speak there. How would you communicate?” Ali Abdulla said in sign language that was interpreted to Arab News by Hala Muhammad.
Ali Abdulla is no different from any other guy in his 20s. He is independent, enthusiastic, full of hope and, as same as others, looking forward to getting a proper college education and a career matching his qualifications.
However, circumstances seem to be against him. He cannot go to all colleges because not all of them will accept deaf students. He wants to study physics, but it is hard for him at the moment. He also cannot work because he faces the problem communicating with other colleagues.
“When people say that deafness is an impairment, I feel so offended because, no, I am not impaired. Others only have to be acquainted with sign language I communicate with and then we would be able to converse and they would see that I am not impaired,” Ali Abdulla said. The deaf community has always been isolated. Communication barriers have always been an obstacle facing them in employment, schooling and in public facilities as well. “I was born deaf and I learned to read lips. When I grew a little older I was taught to use sign language,” Abdulla said. “As a man in my 20s I find it unfair to call for the rights of people with disabilities without understanding their struggles first.”
He mentioned that his problem is not only with the schooling. “I feel that society is punishing me for being deaf,” he said.
Qasim Al-Ahmad, one of Ali’s friends who is not deaf but knows sign language, said that deaf people are not hard to approach.
“I’ve been a friend of Ali for years and I never felt that he is an outsider. On the contrary I feel that he is a great friend with a great mind with an amazing, silent sense of humor. I believe that our society does not give any chances to people who are different. We are all equal with our differences,” he added.
It is worth mentioning that there are clubs for deaf people that host a huge number of entertainment activities. They also have their own independent community able to make everything on their own, but the need one more thing, to be part of other’s lives.
