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The “Himmat Shabab” project aims to enhance the resilience and social and economic empowerment of individuals with disabilities.
The current conditions experienced by the Palestinian people have significantly impacted individuals with disabilities, as they are the most vulnerable group and the first to be affected by any economic or political conditions. Preliminary statistics from the fourth quarter of 2023 indicate that the overall unemployment rate in Palestine has risen to 46% of the workforce. Additionally, the security measures imposed by the occupation, including the closure of cities and villages and the presence of checkpoints at entrances, have greatly hindered the mobility of people with disabilities, creating major social and economic challenges for them.
Therefore, the “Bihmatkum” Association for Youth with Disabilities decided to design programs and projects that serve this marginalized group and work to repair the social and economic gaps as much as possible, contributing to strengthening their resilience and capabilities through the “Himmat Shabab” project. The project concept includes several interventions, the first of which is the mobility guidance and rehabilitation service for individuals with visual impairments. This includes training youth with visual impairments on how to use the white cane and how to handle situations such as closures or confrontations in the areas they are in, enabling them to avoid injuries. Additionally, psychological support and guidance are provided through specialized counseling sessions for this group.
The second intervention is economic empowerment for a number of individuals with disabilities through training in specialized skills in video editing and photography. A selected number of participants will be employed by the “Bihmatkum” Association to provide media services to institutions and private sector companies. This includes adding sign language to videos, Braille to printed materials, and producing videos that highlight the issues faced by people with disabilities during war and crises.
The association offers these services as paid services, which helps to achieve economic empowerment for individuals with disabilities. Additionally, providing both mobility guidance and rehabilitation services and video production services as paid services will contribute to enabling the institution to offer a wider range of services.