Cherie Blair praises Shafallah Centre and the vision of HH the Emir
Published: Wednesday, 29 August, 2007, 12:48 AM Doha Time
Cherie Blair ... lauding Qatar’s efforts
Staff Reporter
CHERIE Blair, wife of former British prime minister Tony Blair, has praised the vision of HH the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, and HH Sheikha Mozah Nasser al-Misnad, for the advances in facilities for Qatar’s disabled children.
She spoke to Oxford Business Group (OBG), the UK-based publishing, research and consultancy services organisation and the interview appears in OBG’s ‘The Report: Emerging Qatar 2007’.
Referring to a recent visit to the Shafallah Centre for Children with Special Needs, Cherie Blair said: “It is admirable that disabled children and their families are benefiting from the developments in this amazing country. “It says a great deal about the vision of HH the Emir and HH Sheikha Mozah that disabled children also benefit from Qatar’s progress.”
Talking of the Centre, she said: “It is a remarkable place not just because it is a modern, purpose-built building with the very best equipment.
“What makes the biggest impression on visitors is the vision, expertise and care provided by staff, led by Hassan Ali bin Ali, for the 350 children and young people who are lucky enough to be there.
“When you visit the Shafallah Centre, you very quickly begin to see how seriously they take the provision of high quality education for disabled children.
“They understand that it is essential to nurture individual achievement through personalised support, tailored to the needs of each child.
“So it’s about ensuring disabled children can look forward to a future in which they are valued, included and achieve their potential and where, whenever possible, they can enjoy as much independence and make the same choices as everyone else.
“I am told that Shafallah is a desert flower and there is no doubt that in Qatar, disabled children are being given the opportunity to bloom.
“The facilities and services that are developing at the Shafallah Centre are something the people of Qatar can take real pride in.”
Written by a team of analysts, based in Doha, the 200-page report - to be published in August - will include the full interview with Cherie Blair.
Good for you Alexa, it does take a bit of guts to point out to others so well done!
Richard, I can think of no better deterrent than what you described. Kudos to them for taking the time to tell their story to others.
There but for the grace of Allah go us. Phew!
I read recently that Princess Diana would have survived if she had been wearing her seatbelt. She was slammed into the seat in front which gave her massive internal bleeding.
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Love is the answer...
Good for you and your soapbox. Many years ago when I was in high school in the States a boy and girl were driving in the wintertime when the snow was thick on the ground. The boy was driving and the girl was in the passenger seat. They were driving too fast and slid into a tree at speed. Neither was wearing a seat belt and both went through the windshield. The boy was paralyzed from the waist down and the girl lost a leg.
This happened around Christmas time when they were both in 12th grade. It was very shocking and upsetting. The following summer both graduated from high school. The girl had an artificial leg and was able to walk to the podium to collect her diploma. The boy remains in a wheelchair.
However, what they both did frequently over the following few years was to visit every school in the city and tell the kids what had happened to them and why and to urge kids to wear seatbelts. They did not want what happened to them to happen to anyone else.
I can tell you that it made quite an impression on me and I have worn a seatbelt ever since.
Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary. Mahatma Gandhi
It's not a battle to be easily or quickly won is it? In the UK it was eventually enforced by law and this is of course what needs to happen here on a practical level. I'm trying to put pressure on the authorities about this.
In the meantime being vocal and practical about it will help. Even if you can persuade one person to do this then you will have made a difference. Just do what you can. Start with a gesture like pulling on your seatbelt and pointing to the child in the car then raising your hands up to Allah. Works every time for me. The shaming effect, I call it. I'm not being flippant, though, as this is a really serious topic.
Interesting to note that when I was in the UK, France and Italy this summer, I saw loads of people doing exactly the same thing...private cars, taxis...babies on adults knees...etc...saw it a few times then started looking for it and saw it happen a lot. Surprising. ______________________________________________________________________
Love is the answer...
DG i had the seat belt argument till my hair almost dropped out.
the boys wont wear it because it creases their thobe
a couple of times i have gone on about car seats...
ZERO impact
some of the victims need to get out to schools etc and educate people
it scares the wits out of me when someone is driving like a lunatic with the kids on the dash board
any suggestions - i would be happy to help
Richard, there are many pyschically challenged locals working in various places around town. Eg, Hamad Hopsital, QP, QTel, various schools...I could go on.
If I may go on my soap box for a moment, there is also a ward or two of brain damaged children/adults living at the hospital...last time I visited I was told by the dctor that at least half or more were the victims of not wearing a seatbelt or being in a car seat during a car crash. Preventible, preventible, preventible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you know ANYONE who does not buckle up or use car seats then please have a word. Or if you wish to be more direct hand out flyers (obtainable from Traffic Police) at traffic lights or donate a car seat to a family or a charity. There are certainly plenty of people who do not buckle up or have their children on their lap in the front.
And, yes, I realise that the authorities are not doing enough to tackle this. I'm working on them. But we can each do our bit as well. 'It takes a village' and all that.
Steps off soap box...
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Love is the answer...
"Watch out for the pedestrian.....It's on the road; it knows the risks its taking!"
But, on a serious note, yes it is great to see such good works going on and to see it heralded like this. Credit where credit is due.
here. It is good to know that such a great initiative is happening here. Why is it that we rarely see disabled people? Presumably, there must be many, especially given the high rate of traffic accidents. What happens to them and where do they go?
Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary. Mahatma Gandhi
Seriously....I can't take any credit for it, I just work for the company that designed it. But I am very proud of being involved in projects like that. For those that haven't seen it, it really is state of the art. While i'm not commenting on the job the chairman is doing (Hassan Ali Bin Ali), I must say that the vision is HH Sheikha Mosa's, and imho she deserves most of the credit for this facility!
Also, all the staff are dedicated professionals who are not only working hard for the benefit of those with special needs, but they are pioneering awareness and acceptance of these children in a part of the world where its akin to a death sentence. In many cases they fight society's bias on a daily basis.
I for one wanted to thank them all and say keep up the good work!
Stay safe all.
Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?