Jordan News

Atallah’s prayer

In a move that is the first of its kind in Jordan, the capital, Amman, witnessed a fashion show for people with special needs, organized by the “Weaving of Joy” initiative in a hotel last Thursday.

The fashion show revolves around cheerfully expressed pieces ranging from shirts, pants, skirts and dresses, while maintaining a sustainable and waste-free environment through the use of recycled fabrics and materials, which contributes to reducing waste.

The “Fabric of Joy” initiative was able to train more than 350 male and female students with disabilities to enhance their chances of employment and involve them in the Jordanian workforce. 14 male and female students were employed in various Jordanian institutions and industries; Such as the “seagull” company, the “McDonald’s” restaurant chain, the “Fairmont” hotel and the “Landmark”.

The founder of the initiative, Nour Irsheidat, said in an interview with the electronic newspaper “Jordan News”, that this project seeks to provide an opportunity for a more inclusive environment in the field of creative industry for people with disabilities in society.

Irsheidat added that the “Weaving of Joy” initiative aims to give these individuals an opportunity to present their designs to the Jordanian community, through one fashion show, which is considered the first of its kind in the Middle East, as it hosts designers and displays designs created by people with disabilities only.

She explained that the idea of ​​the initiative sparked with her when she saw the ability of students with disabilities to use their bodies and limbs, which implanted an incentive within her to develop their abilities and abolish the idea of ​​“we can’t,” noting that the result of this was an idea that could help them even if a small amount.

Irsheidat indicated that, over the years, students have been trained to design and produce clothes from scratch, starting with cutting patterns, using sewing machines and traditional sewing methods, as well as embroidery and design making, pointing out that however, students were unable to get what they deserve because of customs. Cultural and stereotypes about people with disabilities.

She pointed out that the skills acquired by these students did not only develop their fine motor skills, but also extended to improve their creative skills, and allowed them to explore the field of fashion design, which created an opportunity to generate income for people with disabilities, “but this part has not been addressed in the fashion industry. , specifically in our region”, which left a gap in the industry that has not yet been covered.

Irsheidat stated that this project aims to promote more inclusive job opportunities within Jordanian society, and provide an opportunity for people with special needs to embrace their own experiences and creative minds, through a fashion show that highlights their designs.

Irsheidat continued, that the mission of the initiative is to defend the weak capabilities of people with disabilities, and that one of the main tasks of the organization is to build bridges of life, as people with disabilities often face difficulties in gaining the acceptance of the community around them, and this challenge is considered a major obstacle to their development Many of their remarkable abilities are often left undiscovered.
She added that this is one of the important areas that the initiative is trying to address through various programmes, working with parents, employers, doctors and other specialists; To create a self-sustaining system that allows students to integrate and gain acceptance from their peers and other members of society.

Irsheidat pointed out that the “orient spirit development” project is one of the most prominent major projects. It is a vocational training center that was established in 2006 by a multidisciplinary team, but it is dedicated to the rehabilitation and training of people with disabilities and learning difficulties.

She indicated that the main objective of establishing the center is to enable the beneficiaries to harness their idle abilities towards leading an active and productive life, and seek to help each individual discover his talents and abilities and develop them into practical tools to generate income. As much physical independence as possible.

Irsheidat added that “The Spirit of the Orient”, the institution that trains the participants, formed the first Marjan group for people with disabilities in Jordan and the drumming troupe, which presented several performances to the public, in addition to a theater group that hosted many reputable plays, and revived the art of acting, plays and music.

She emphasized that the “Fabric of Joy” initiative was able during the past three years – despite the outbreak of the new Corona virus – to continue its training programs and achieve remarkable improvements in the skills of students with disabilities, and increase their opportunities within the community towards a more successful future.