The Paralympic games in Paris from 28 August to 8 September are another testament to the capabilities of those who always find a way when there is a will.

As they marched waving the flag at the opening ceremony of the Paris Paralympics, Egyptian participants captured our hearts.

“It was a delight seeing that all wheelchairs used by athletes in the competition came from us and that many started their athletic endeavours with us before engaging with other sports entities,” says May Zein El Dein, who heads an organization standing robustly behind the success of many members of this community.

New Chapter
 

Almost 12 years ago an accident that left her son in a wheelchair set off a train of events that saw May Zein ElDein establish AlHassan NGO for the differently-abled people.

"After the accident and for three months we were overwhelmed with love and care, from doctors and our friends and family; and this flood of compassion was one of the huge motivations for me later to give back to my community," Zein El Dein said.

With a small group of 15 friends, a board of seven members, and a rented cab, the foundation saw the light. It provided the best “customized” chairs in Egypt, which at the time cost EGP 2,000, thinking that this was the utmost it could do.

However, things dramatically changed after Zein El Dein and her son went to Germany, where experts told her that if her son “had any chance of walking, this chair blew it away.”

At that moment Zein El Dein learned that the right chair makes all the difference.

She recalled her visit saying "I was overwhelmed with the precision of the rehabilitation process and how they thought about everything, from increasing his [her son’s] physical abilities to opening doors of hobbies, interests and possibilities.”

“It was after returning to Egypt when I started helping wheelers – whose medical condition was far worse than what we witnessed, or who were less fortunate financially – that the urgency to be a factor of introducing change took me by storm," Zein El Dein explained.

In 2015, the AlHassan Foundation was inaugurated as an Egyptian-registered developmental organization under the Ministry of Social Solidarity.

Over 50 percent of the board members are wheelchair users, and over 70 percent of the foundation’s employees are permanent wheelchair users working on 8 developmental projects offered in all of Egypt’s 27 governorates.

Aside from the project of providing the right chair, Zein El Dein tells how seven more projects ensued.

 “The projects include creating an information hub for analyzing and offering reliable and practical accessibility solutions to inaccessible venues, enhancing facilities, and providing transportation means,” she explained.

“Other major projects are ‘Source of Income’, which aims to achieve financial independence for our beneficiaries; ‘Social Awareness’ on various platforms that empower differently-abled people and work towards achieving effective inclusion in society; and ‘Kids on Wheels’ that focus on younger generations aged 4 to 16 and their significant needs,” Zein El Dein elaborated.

Finally, she mentioned the foundation's Academy for Sports & Arts, which supports and encourages beneficiaries to shine through their favourite hobby and explore their passion.

“Our sports academy trains wheelchair users, some of whom progress to other clubs. Sports training remains pivotal in our support efforts. We focus on integration and empowerment across technical, athletic, medical, and social spheres,” Zein El Dein added.

Challenges in the Horizon
 

In a ceremony in Vienna in 2019, the AlHassan Foundation was chosen as one of the most innovative practices that support the rights and lives of persons with disabilities and one of the most effective foundations worldwide.

Nevertheless, challenges loom ahead.

“Key hurdles include enforcing existing global agreements, engineering codes, accessibility standards, and official school policies. Integration and accessibility processes encounter numerous obstacles, notably bureaucratic delays hindering the provision of necessary supplies,” Zein El Dein said broodingly.

She added that “raising awareness among educational institutions, families, and administrations demands heightened attention and continuous enhancement.”

“We are privileged to assist our disabled brethren from other Arab nations, including Gaza, though hurdles like incomplete documentation due to their circumstances often arise. Despite challenges, we endeavour to aid them with the support of generous donors,” Zein El Dein stressed.

High ambitions
 

Zein El Dein’s ambitions include advancing solutions for wheelchair users in Egypt that align with global developments in this field and establishing the Egyptian Wheelchair Basketball Federation.

“As the head of the Northern Region for Wheelchair Basketball Development in the African Union, I oversee Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. I hope to see a surge in young players from these nations, nurturing a strong contingent of champions in Paralympic sports,” she concluded.