She embroidered her dreams with determination. Her designs show skill and creativity. She is Isra Mazen Alawayti and her age is twenty three. She is a woman with disabilities who suffers from the lack of completeness in the growth in her left hand since birth. She completed university education in the field of pharmacy and had not the chance to get a job like the other graduates. She resorted to embroidery as a means of salvation from saddling poverty and bitterness of days. She designed the most beautiful pieces of embroidery and tailored the most beautiful dresses. She was her father’s best assistant, and I stood next to him along when against the hardships of life. She put a smile on her father’s life and brought hope to their small house.
Isra made great efforts to get a job, but was shocked by the harsh responses from employers for being a woman with disability. This made Isra think in a different way and go to learn a new profession hoping to open new horizons. Isra says: “No one gave me a chance to work, I worked embroidery and sewing, but I dreamed of learning a new career and I work to be able to support my family and myself, because I lost hope that I work in the field of pharmacy.” Isra continues: “I joined Irada program when I heard about the availability of opportunities of training, and succeeded in the interview.”
Israa was one of those selected to benefit from the project, “Creating employment opportunities for persons with disabilities,” which is being implemented with funding from the OPEC Fund for International Development and under the supervision of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).Isra joined training in the field of carving manual wood where she learned how to finishing wooden tapestries of trays, boxes and other products, in addition to the production of various wooden gifts. About her experience in Irada, Isra says: “I feel proud every time I accomplish the task required of me in the workshop, and I feel happy when my trainer tells me that I have done well.”
Isra enrollment in vocational training did not develop professional skills only, but it grew self-confidence, and helped her to refine her own character. When asked about the impact of training, Esra said: “I found myself in training, myself confidence increased, and I felt comfort because there is no difference between any of us. In short, I developed my thought and skills.”
Isra succeeded in training and proved, despite working with one hand that she is able to work in a tough profession like men. What is impressive is that Isra’s trainer “Ahmed Wael Zaloom” is also physically disabled and suffers from the amputation of a leg, have the strong will to become a trainer in this workshop in Irada. He was a wonderful model to Isra who planted in herself hope for a better tomorrow.
Isra successfully completed the professional training phase and is now working in the workshop within the second phase of the project where they are paid a monthly stipend for their work. This phase aims to make them acquire more experience and improve their economic conditions by providing a source of income for them.
The Life of Isra became much better, and now she has a new dream to follow which is to establish her own workshop after the end of the working phase. The dream will not be easy in light of the lack of funding opportunities available to support small projects for women with disabilities.
Another dream entices Isra, she said: “My dream is to get an artificial moving limb to I feel like other girls, and make my job easy.”
