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Rhagida and Mohammed: Kamal Garden's Projects
Stall holders at Souq al Ard
Rhagida and Mohammed sit at their
stall on a hot day at Souq al Ard, almost hidden behind the big, green cabbages
on their table. Rhagida runs the Kamal
Gardens project near
Swelieh which supports the rights of mentally challenged people through
vocation and employment. Next to her, Mohammed, 25, sits grinning from ear to ear. These are his
cabbages: he planted the seeds, nurtured the crops, plucked them from the
ground and brought them to Souq Al Ard. Mohammed suffers from mental heath problems and he is one of the 16 disabled
people to attend Kamal
Gardens.
Kamal Gardens
is based upon the belief that everyone has the right to self esteem and self
worth. "To see Mohammed's cabbages selling like this gives him such a
great self esteem boost," explains Rhagida.
For many people with mental problems
in Amman, Kamal Gardens
is not only a sanctuary in the city but a place in which they can gain a
future. Kamal Gardens, located in Rhagida's back
garden, is where those with mental health problems can find a place to interact
and learn. "This is a personal matter for me. My brother has a mental
illness," explains Rhagida, "my brother had nowhere to go. He had to
stay at home. My mother almost became ill with worry,"
Rhagida wanted to help others with
mental problems to have a decent life. Take Mohammed for example: "I love Kamal Gardens,"
he says, "before I didn't really do anything. I sat at home." Now,
Mohammed, who attends Kamal
Gardens twice a week, is trained
in handicrafts and agriculture, and receives a salary for the products he
makes. "I am going to be a farmer," Mohammed says, as another one of
his organic cabbages is bought by another customer.
Souq al Ard gives Mohammed the
opportunity to sell his products but, more than this, it is an environment in
which he can feel a sense of achievement. "It is so busy today,"
Rhagida notes, "it is great for Mohammed to come here so he can interact
with peope." With these opportunities to sell products made at Kamal Gardens,
Rhagida hopes to make the additional income she will need to expand the project.
"There are still so many disabled people with no where to go." Rhagida
also hopes to reach out to the parents by giving delivering educational
seminars. " I know parents can suffer so much," she says.
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