Joe Rahal Foundation

I endured a bitter and hard path to become who I am and stand where I should be today. I underwent difficult medical surgeries, painful treatments, and followed a full schedule of intensive and long term therapies. I had an education filled with rejections and challenges since my early years, but I couldn’t give up, I wanted to achieve my objectives and assert myself in the society. Several school

s refused to enroll me as a student having special needs since they were incapable of adapting the environment and make it accessible for my wheelchair. They were also afraid for the “normal students’ state of mind” (“normal” as they call them), and their families’ reaction towards an intruder like me. Their rejection didn’t stop me from pursuing my dreams with the help and support of my family who believed in my abilities and skills. I first graduated from a high school for people having special needs, then obtained my BA in Political Sciences and International Relations, and just finished my Masters Degree in Strategic Negotiations & International Diplomacy, expecting to continue higher studies, later on, and obtain a Ph. Few years ago and until now, I work in a firm. I participated over the years and since my youngest age in several television programs to encourage the society to accept people with special needs and physical impairment, and make them believe that even with their differences, they do have potentials. Recently, I decided with few acquaintances of mine, who present different backgrounds, to found an NGO to fight for the rights of people having physical impairment especially that all people are at risk, at anytime, to become physically impaired. Having physical impairment might be caused by medical deficiencies or just because of an accident. No matter how or when, the person suffering from a disability can benefit from our services. On the other hand, I would like to lead by example as my diagnosis didn’t stop me from becoming independent and achieving my goals. This is how I prove myself and prove the iniquitous society wrong when they judge and marginalize me or people like me. My message is for any person who believes that we all have potentials and the differences should not create divergence but acceptance. My Wheelchair is just a mean that facilitates my path, it doesn’t define who I am and will never stop me from being active. The foundation was created to offer the adequate support to children, youth, adults and elderly; to motivate people having special needs to become active members in the society. We will encourage their families and their surroundings to accept, see and treat them as a blessing not a burden and finally to cherish their accomplishments.