Ramallah: A total of 556 special needs Palestinians have been assisted by the UAE Fund for Rehabilitation of Palestinians with Disabilities which is financed by Emirates Red Crescent.

The fund has also helped them set up productive projects.

Since the inception of the Fund in 2008, the humanitarian project has achieved unprecedented success. It has been appreciated by Palestinian and international organisations’ officials.

Dr Kamal Al Sharafi, Minister for Social Affairs in Palestine, said the project to rehabilitate special needs people in Palestine “is the first successful project of its kind that attracts greater number of the disabled people who apply for loans to set up productive projects”.

He said in a statement that the RCA has allocated over Dh20 million to finance the UAE Fund to rehabilitate people with special needs.

For his part, Eyad Al Deek, Manager of the UAE Fund, said the UAE’s support to this project has had a positive impact, citing the interest of disabled people to set up projects that suit their abilities.