Reference :
V-P-IL-E-03250
Date :
04/2019
Caption :
Gaza, Rafah. This 20-year-old young man was 19 when he lost his leg after a bullet tore through it on May 14, 2018, the worst day in a series of border demonstrations in Gaza.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
ICRC web site, article of 08.07.2019: The ICRC supports a physical rehabilitation centre in Gaza where amputees receive physical rehabilitation, mobility devices and psychological support. Furthermore, the ICRC’s microeconomic grants help people with disabilities find a source of income.
Due to a series of border demonstrations in Gaza that started in March 2018 and lasted for over a year, 136 people lost limbs. Among a population of 2 million, there are around 1,600 amputees in Gaza. Half of its workforce is unemployed, and the competition on the job market is fierce. People with disabilities find themselves at a disadvantage, as roads and buildings are not wheelchair accessible and many available jobs require physical strength. The situation is particularly dramatic for the young. At 68 per cent, the unemployment rate for Gaza university graduates is among the highest in the world. In the face of these grim statistics, young amputees in Gaza fight against trauma and isolation, earn diplomas and expand their skills to build a better future against all odds.
Omar was 19 when he lost his leg after a bullet tore through it on 14 May 2018, the worst day in a series of border demonstrations in Gaza. "When I woke up at the hospital, I was shocked and depressed. I felt that my future was lost." For the energetic young man, a football player and dabke dancer, living with a disability was hard to imagine. Despite physical pain and depression, Omar found the will to study for his school graduation exams from the hospital bed. Supporting his university degree was beyond the family's financial means and he dropped out after one semester.
Now, Omar is learning to repair mobile phones. When he speaks about opening a device, trying to find the problem and understand how it works, his face lights up. He hopes to open his own repair shop. "Without hope, life would be unbearable," Omar said.
Resolution :
5760x3840
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
