Al Hussein Society Winter Issue

Welcome to our Winter Newsletter.

The articles you find within will give you a little idea of some of the events and developments at AHS.
This academic year we have one hundred students in the school and have opened up an extra Grade One class. The occupational therapy, physiotherapy and psycho/social therapy departments continue to serve their needs, as well as those of the EIP and the wider community.
We have exciting developments in the Orthotics workshop which you can read more about inside. Please note that our annual Winter Bazaar will be held on Saturday December 15 at Le Royal Hotel. Thank you for your continued support which contributes greatly to the work of Al Hussein Society.

Emans Story

We would like to tell you about 13 year old Eman Abdullah who has been at the Al Hussein Society for six years. Over the years Eman could be seen smilingly walking along the corridors between her lessons or physiotherapy sessions assisted by specially designed braces, but recently Eman developed deformities in her spine and lower limbs which prevented her independent mobility.
Surgery was the only answer if Eman was to walk again, however this would be very risky as she has a ‘kidney filter” which renders surgery dangerous. Her parents refused surgery and were resigned to Eman never walking again However, the AHS team, determined that she should walk, set about procuring a new, highly sophisticated and expensive brace.
With the encouragement and cooperation of the directors of Orthopedic and Physical Rehabilitation Departments at the Ministry of Health our team relentlessly pursued a new brace for Eman. Our Orthopedic Dept realized that the brace required special knee joints that were not available at the centre. Not to be deterred, they went back to the Ministry of Health who were able to provide us with the specialized knee joints.
The team worked for 50 hours preparing a plaster bandage cast modified to Emans requirements. You cannot imagine our surprise and pleasure to not only see her stand once more, but also take a few faltering steps. A further 20 hours work, and the brace was ready. With hard work from Eman and the physiotherapists we will soon see her walking independently through the centre once more.
(This account was prepared by our specialized team who wanted to express the joy and satisfaction they experience in their work at AHS.)

King Abdullah and Queen Rania visit AHS

Jubilation and excitement filled hallways and departments as Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania arrived to visit our centre and officially open the Specialized Training facility donated by the Bdeir Family. Their Royal Highnesses Prince Raad Zeid and Princess Majda Raad greeted Their Majesties, along with our director Annie Abu Hanna, Minister of Social Development, Dr. Suleiman Tarawneh, other officials and members of the AHS board. They then accompanied them on a tour of the centre.
First stop for the King and Queen was the Early Intervention Programme (EIP) where they observed a regular clinic session with our very youngest outpatients. Princess Majda explained that in the EIP the needs of physically challenged infants are addressed from day one, preventing further complications by training parents in the appropriate therapy.
As Their Majesties toured the centre they watched a variety of occupational, physio and psycho/social therapy sessions, in action, and then moved on to delight students in the school section Our purpose was to demonstrate a “regular day at AHS” and so they saw our students working in Arabic, IT, music, sports and other lessons. The King and Queen interacted with great warmth and were impressed by the ability and confidence of the students.
Princess Majda briefed our guests on the important contribution of AVSI and UNDP to the facilities and activities of the new Specialized Training section, which will provide training for professionals in Jordan and the Middle East. Ladies in KENZ displayed their sewing skills and a variety of costumes they produce for children, before the party moved on to the Orthotics Workshop. Their Majesties were extremely impressed with the high standard of orthotics and prostheses produced by our professionals, which benefit not only our students at the centre, but also have a high demand in the rest of the country. This is due to the great contribution of the Christo fel Blinden Mission whose financial aid and expertise in training, over more than ten years, has been invaluable.
An hour after their arrival King Abdullah and Queen Rania bid the centre farewell expressing their great pride in the work of AHS. Their Majesties instructed the Royal Hashemite Court to carry out a complete maintenance of the society including painting the premises, and also to connect all AHS departments to the internet.
We are grateful for their generosity, both in kind and of time, and look forward to their continued support in the development of the centre.

A Closed Door can be opened

Seven students, the director and three teachers travelled to Turkey in April to participate in the Smiling Child Festival, for students with special needs. This was the first time that students from our centre have participated in such an event and the benefits proved to be enormous. Our children developed a sense of responsibility and self reliance; learned time management and the importance of punctuality; and were exposed to a variety of different cultures from the 20 other participating countries as well as expressing loyalty for their own country, Jordan.
The children performed their play, Closed Door, which examines the challenges our students often face when they embark on integration in the public school system.
However, the story concludes that with determination and the support system developed by AHS, a closed door can be opened. Simultaneous translation was displayed on a large screen so that the audience could follow the play, and the actors were commended on their performance of the music and song.

All the participants took part in a 2 kilometre “walk” singing national songs and raising awareness of the festival; a documentary film was aired about Jordan’s tourist sites and we also had a special table to display Jordanian products. All the representatives of AHS believed that their experience at the festival was invaluable in numerous ways, and look forward to further opportunities to exchange ideas with people of other cultures.

Collaboration continues

Al Hussein Society continues its longstanding relationship with Rotary Clubs in a new project which will benefit both amputees in Basra, Iraq and Jordanians who need new prostheses. Financed and sponsored by several clubs in the USA and the Amman Cosmopolitan Rotary Club, the latest state-of-the-art equipment for the manufacture of prostheses, will soon arrive at our Orthotics Workshop. AHS technicians will train Iraqi Ministry of Health doctors in the use of the equipment which will greatly enhance the quality of prostheses made at our centre.