We are all important

On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, on December 3rd each year, initiatives to raise awareness on this topic multiply. During our twenty years of presence in Jordan, we have witnessed remarkable progress in the field of inclusion: this includes the law on employment inclusion and the 2017 law on the integration of children with disabilities into schools alongside their non-disabled peers. These fundamental steps have been accompanied by awareness campaigns aimed at making society increasingly welcoming and aware that people with disabilities also have value and dignity that must be respected and that, if properly supported, they can achieve great things!

The Arsenal of Encounter plays a very important role in this regard. The approach is concrete: letting actions speak, “getting our hands dirty,” and being attentive to the signs of the times, to the needs knocking at the door. For example, we realized that siblings of children with disabilities often do not accept them, because they see them as children who misbehave; they may feel ashamed in front of their friends or feel that they attract all the attention within the family. So, once a week, we began inviting them together with their siblings and their mothers, organizing recreational activities. They experienced how the sibling they were once ashamed of or rejected actually gave them the opportunity to go to a beautiful place, play with modern games, meet new children, and have fun… and little by little, the mindset changes!

Some mothers helped us understand that they are often alone in dealing with the challenges of a child with disabilities, and that they frequently lack the tools they need and require support. We responded by organizing meetings with experts on disability-related topics, as well as workshops where they can talk with other mothers, “vent,” receive psychological support, and have time just for themselves… and little by little, the mindset changes!

Some schools are trying to open up to disability, but there are still many architectural barriers, and teachers and even students are not yet ready to welcome these children, who risk being further marginalized in separate rooms. During this period, we have understood the importance of sharing our experience through mutual exchange with teachers, in order to train the teaching staff, while also learning how to better prepare our children so they can be welcomed into schools and supported once enrolled.

We are also welcoming many classes, from kindergarten to high school, for inclusive programs with our children and young people. Working together toward a common goal through activities suited to everyone’s abilities (agriculture, art, mosaics, music, sports) helps non-disabled students realize that others are not so different, are not to be feared, and in some cases are even more capable than they are. Just recently, we had a meeting with the Ministry of Education of Madaba to launch an official training and exchange program involving schools in Madaba, both teachers and students… and little by little, the mindset changes!

During the recent Christmas season, we took part in bazaars, presenting products made in the inclusive workshops of the Arsenal: mosaics, bracelets and necklaces, Christmas decorations, wallets and handbags, carob and pomegranate syrup, agricultural products… beautiful and good things that indirectly convey a message: EVERYONE MATTERS AND IS IMPORTANT!

The Fraternity of Sermig in Jordan
NP January 2026