UAE | General
Standing tall and unafraid
Driving along the narrow, winding roads to the West Bank village of Kharas, social worker Amal Al Haymouni asks the bus driver for the exact location of Yousuf Halahla's home.
- By Zoi Constantine, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:14 June 30, 2007
Kharas, West Bank: Driving along the narrow, winding roads to the West Bank village of Kharas, social worker Amal Al Haymouni asks the bus driver for the exact location of Yousuf Halahla's home.
"Yes, the boy who travelled to Dubai. Everyone knows him," he replies immediately. His passengers nod in agreement.
It has been just over one year since Yousuf first left his small village on the outskirts of Hebron, travelling to Dubai for medical treatment to correct the serious deformities in both legs.
"I first met Yousuf two years ago," recalls Amal, 26, who works with the Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF). "I came to Kharas to visit him and check his case, but he wouldn't even speak to me. He had no confidence and could hardly even leave the house."
Through the support of the Dubai chapter of PCRF, Yousuf and his mother travelled from Kharas to Dubai in June 2006. Dr Marc Sinclair of the Dubai Bone and Joint Centre carried out the eight hour operation at Dubai's International Modern Hospital, during which five bones in both his legs were broken and reset.
Homecoming
Now, one year on, Yousuf, 14, stands tall and proud; barely recognisable from the shy, introverted, little boy who was confined to a wheelchair for much of his time in Dubai.
"Before, I had to be driven to school everyday, but now I can walk without any problems. Everyone was so shocked when I came back - they couldn't believe how much I had changed," he told Gulf News.
On the day of his arrival, a large group gathered at the Halahla family's modest house in the centre of the village to welcome him home. At his homecoming celebrations, Yousuf danced for the first time.
"I cannot give enough thanks to all of the people from PCRF, Dr Sinclair, the hospital and everyone who helped my son. He is so much more independent and can do everything by himself. I was crying when I first saw him - it was amazing," Abu Yousuf said proudly.
Kharas is a small village, located in a hilly terrain, west of Hebron. Unemployment is widespread, yet the villagers live in the shadow of a large, ostentatious villa under construction on a nearby hill.
"That's the 'Chinese Palace'," says Abu Yousuf. "The man who is building it is very rich because he lives abroad and works with the Israelis. All those rooms for only two children - meanwhile, the rest of us are struggling to get by."
In recent years, Kharas has suffered from restrictions imposed by Israel's separation wall; part of which has been constructed on confiscated village land.
Abu Yousuf, like many others from the village, used to rely on inconsistent construction work in Israel, but now it is almost impossible to secure a permit from the Israeli authorities.
While the family is clearly overjoyed with Yousuf's progress, their happiness has also been marred by the political upheaval gripping the West Bank and Gaza. While Yousuf is optimis-tic about his future, he remains pessimistic about building a life in Kharas. He hopes to one day work in the hotel industry - perhaps in the UAE.
"I don't know what the future will hold, but now I am not afraid of anything," he said.
More from UAE General
More from UAE
Latest news
- For this maestro, it's all about the sound
- Experts can't tell old instruments from new
- Sound of violins
- Facilitators: Helping others find joy
- Get friends on board, zip away with Salik bonus
- Abu Dhabi buildings to be clutter-free
- Mohammad holds talks with South Korea president
- Volunteers remove garbage from Mamzar beach
- Clean-up campaign set to raise awareness
- Sharjah landmarks bathed in light
- In the pursuit of happiness
- Dubai hospitals debut life-saving procedure
- Four poised to chase their dreams
- UK’s top Arab advocacy group in need of aid
- 10 things not to do on Valentine's Day
Community Reports
-
Bridges needed
Al Ittihad Road has no pedestrian facilities as one nears Sharjah
-
Street lights needed
Authorities urged to act with haste before a major accident occurs in Al Nahda, Dubai
-
Motorists ignore stop sign on buses
Overtaking school vehicles can put students' lives at risk
-
Safety regulations flouted at Dubai work place
In Al Nahda 2, two workers were seen working on the crane boom at a height of 20m without a full body harness or safety net in violation of rules
