Coping with disability in Gaza

Ahmad Alswafeeri, a 25-year-old volunteer teacher who is wheelchair-bound, works at the local government-run Safad primary school for boys in a suburb of Gaza city.

He is also completing a university degree in Islamic studies at a local university, and is a father of two.

"I do not believe I should let my disability get in the way of my life," Alswafeeri told al-Araby al-Jadeed.

He lost his two legs, left arm and two fingers from his right hand in 2008.

"I was hit by an Israeli drone missile while revising for school. It has been very difficult since then but I have tried hard to live a normal life," the teacher explained.

Over the last seven years he has faced many difficulties. However, he has been helped by a local NGO that looks after Palestinians injured by Israel.

"I was sitting on the floor at my home playing with my four-year-old daughter, Jana when the doorbell rang. I could not move to answer it, and Jana said: "Dad please take my leg so you can stand up and open the door," Alswafeeri tearfully explained.

He hopes one day he will be able to have advanced artificial limbs currently unavailable in the Gaza Strip.

Mohammad Aljed, another teacher at Safad primary school told al-Araby al-Jadeed the school had welcomed Ahmad, and were happy to let him teach voluntarily.

Many have been injured and left disabled by Israel's frequent attacks on Gaza.

"We have a national and human obligation to support Ahmad. We thank the ministry of education for letting him work here. I believe the pupils love him", Aljed told al-Araby al-Jadeed.

Pupils at the school echoed Aljed's sentiments.

"We love him very much. He is good and kind teacher, and we learn easily in his classes. We want him to keep on teaching us. Initialy it was strange, but we soon got used to it," said Karam Barghouth, one of Alswafeeri's pupils.

Many have been injured and left disabled by Israel's frequent attacks on Gaza, according to the ministry of education in Gaza.

The ministry estimates 70 members of its staff suffered permanent disability injuries in Israel's assault on Gaza in the summer of 2014. A total of 20 members of staff were killed.

Mo'tasem Alminawi, a spokesman for the ministry of education, told al-Araby al-Jadeed there are 400 schools in Gaza that belong to the ministry. There are also about 100 schools run by UN relief agency UNRWA.

"During the last Israeli war 27 government-run schools were completely destroyed, and 178 others were partially damaged. Over 100 schools closed down for a semester, and others for the entire school year," Alminawi said.

Alminawi hopes the situation will improve so the ministry can provide proper education services.

Last October, international donors pledged a total of $5.4bn to rebuild Gaza. However, no widespread reconstruction process has begun.

About 18,000 houses need rebuilding, according to the Gaza-based construction and public works ministry.