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Tawakkol Karman Foundation is proud to announce their establishment of the Balqees School, first school for people with hearing impairment in Marib Governorate. This is part of the Tawakkol Foundation’s larger efforts of targeting wide sectors of the most vulnerable and needy groups of Yemeni society.

The Marib governorate has become one of the largest Yemeni cities due to the massive displacement. To enable the deaf and mute to receive education, integrate into society, and provide them with capabilities that enable them to face the conditions of life, the Tawakkol Karman Foundation established Marib’s first school for those with hearing impairments.

Educator Khaled Al-Rahabi says that the schools designated for youth with hearing imparities lack educational means and resources.  In addition, there is a lack of qualified staff and institutions aimed at improving the difficulties that arise with teaching students from this background.  

With these concerns in mind, the Tawakkol Karman Foundation built Belqees school for this category, and work began in it immediately. In just a few months, the school was ready: it consists of a modern building, with several classrooms, an administration, and a school wall, all the way to students’ chairs, educational aids, and several teachers.

Several teachers and parents of students expressed their thanks to Tawakkol Karman Foundation, through the “Haith Al-Insan” program.

Teacher Khaled Al-Rahabi, one of the teachers of the deaf and dumb students, says that the schools designated for this group, although few in numbers lack educational means, resources, etc., and the difficulty of teaching the curriculum for this group compared to others, in addition to the lack of qualified staff, but we lack a school of their own, in addition to their short curriculum for the first six grades, and teachers for this category.

One of the deaf students said after translating sign language into writing: I have the right to learn and be an educated, integrated, and productive member of society.

Muhammad Al-Azab, the father of a deaf-mute child, says: There was no integrated institution in Marib to take care of the deaf-mute class, and we face the difficulty of not having training material to teach them professions or communicate with society.

Jawad Saif, the father of a deaf-mute student, said that parents also need courses to learn sign language so that they can understand and communicate with their son, fearing that his son might learn the meaning of the sign while his father does not understand that meaning.

Mr. Najeeb Baabad, the principal of Al-Mithaq School, says that he wants an integrated school for this group of deaf and dumb students.

Tawakkol Karman Foundation decided to build Belqees school for this category, and work began in it immediately. Within a period not exceeding a few months, the school was ready: a modern building, with several classrooms, an administration, and a school wall, all the way to students’ chairs, educational aids, and several teachers.

Several teachers and parents of students expressed their thanks to Tawakkol Karman Foundation, through “Haith Al-Insan” program broadcasted by Belqees channel during the month of Ramadan, for the Foundation's role in establishing the School for the People with Special Needs in Marib.