Community Based Rehabilitation
Every child who comes to the Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) center in Jordan brings their own unique gifts, personality, and life to our work. As much as we want to grow their potential in areas where they experience challenges, we also want to encourage their potential in the areas where they express joy and talent.
Imani first came to our center in 2018 as a young teenage girl with a hearing disability, with the goal of improving her speech. However, we soon discovered that she had a natural talent and love for art. Her notebook was filled with pencil sketches and coloured drawings. One of the Operation Mercy staff members also shares a love of art, and so from the beginning it was decided that they would have one session every couple of weeks to develop Imani’s skills in both drawing and painting. Over the months, Imani learned and practised mixing colours, as well as how to paint skies and other scenes from nature—often the two of them sitting side by side, painting together at the center.
Now, several years later, Imani is a student at the University of Jordan, studying art. Recently, she reached out to us, asking if there was something she could do at the center while on a break between semesters. In fact, we had yet to finish the murals on the outer walls of the center facing the village street. And so, once again, Imani and the CBR team member mixed colours together and painted. This time, though, they painted words—sharing colour and hopeful messages with the community.
For all of us, it was encouraging to see this quiet teen now turned into a confident and talkative university student. It was a reminder that as we walk through small steps of growth with our students, these small steps can lead to a more hopeful future for them.
Exploring New Ways of Moving
Yousif, a 4-year-old diagnosed with spina bifida, lay curled up in the corner of the living room floor. The doctors had told his family to give up hope—he was disabled and would remain that way for the rest of his life.
An Event for Mothers
“This is for me?” One of the ladies asked, looking at the beautiful hand-held mirror she just decorated. Her question is perhaps not surprising. For these village women,
Perseverance Brings Progress
Now Rustam can express himself, he is socializing with his peers, and he is participating in the cultural events of the organization. Rustam is ready to go to school!
A Community United for Mubariz
As part of our partner’s project on accessibility, the team launched a district-wide assessment in Rudaki. Here they met a teacher who was homeschooling a 9-year-old boy named Mubariz,
Each Child is Valuable
“I’ve learnt from you that each child is created by God and valuable, and I want to do my best to love and raise her like you would” she said
Now He Sits Like a King!
Positioning and proper support for children with cerebral palsy is crucial to their development and also to interacting and engaging with their environment.
Sing Hello
“Fahid, it is your turn to sing!” Our volunteers encourage and then, with a little bit of prompting, Fahid begins to sing for us.
A Family Effort
Perseverance is one of our five key priorities at Operation Mercy. In our city, we often meet children and families who have endured immense hardship — through war,
Trust is Built Through Peer Groups
This group of four men became eager to meet each other and friendship was formed.
First Aid Training Programme
After living in Central Asia for a year and engaging closely with the local community, I noticed a significant gap in health knowledge. Many people would quickly panic in medical situations simply because they did not know how to respond.
Our Life is not Our Own
Many mothers of children with disabilities experience significant isolation, as caregiving responsibilities often keep them at home for extended periods. These mothers report feelings of suspicion,
Growing in Strength and Love
When our team first met Gulnar, a six-year-old girl diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) and a suspected case of CHARGE syndrome, she was unable to walk or communicate.
Partnerships for Good
He now has a stable home for him and his family and is walking on his “new” foot.
Hope Stored in His Heart
Most of all we sense that Haitham now has hope stored in his heart that he did not have before.
Full Participation at School
In the summer, our organisation received a request to build a ramp and an accessible toilet at this school to allow the school to accept children with disabilities so that they could socialise and study with their peers.
Partnership for Change
Both organizations continue to work in partnership with the mom and her son and we are seeing positive changes in their lives.
Healing and Growth
During a wedding in a small local village a large fire broke out!
Partnership Opens the Way to School
There are many barriers for a child with disability to access education in Tajikistan. Sometimes this barrier is seen in the attitudes of people that think children with disabilities don’t belong in school or should be kept separate from other children.
How a Mother’s Life Was Changed
On his own, he began to stand up and to hold himself on the wall.
Changing the Trajectory
Danior used to be angry all the time. He was quick to attack and hit the other kids at the children’s home. He had reasons to be angry –