Deaf student shows where there’s a will, there’s a way

Ashraf Saleem Abdul Aziz, a 23-year-old Palestinian, who is determined to pursue his university education despite his handicap, strongly believes that ‘where there is a will, there is a way’.

Ashraf’s story of determination and success started when he was a child. His parents enrolled him at the Al Amal Institute for the Deaf where he showed miraculous abilities both at the academic level and in lip reading. Subsequently, the administration of the institute recommended his transfer to a government school to integrate him with normal children of his age. He appeared for the exams of the general secondary certificate, along with other students, and came out with good grades.

The success prompted Ashraf to pursue university education in business management. He registered with the Al Ghurair University, where in the foundation year he had to study TOEFL.

He completed the first semester, but due to his father’s illness which led to his retirement, he was not able to pay the fee for the second semester. Ashraf has grown up into a determined character, having seen his father, also deaf, leading a normal life. His father had overcome his disability and insisted on working, setting up and supporting a family whose members are strongly bonded to each other.

Ashraf, as well as his two deaf brothers, who are also pursuing their schooling, have received great support from their mother who was the engine behind their ambition and achievements, said Abdullah of the Dubai TV show team.

“If anyone is to be awarded, it should be our mother who has brought up three children with special needs as normal children. She succeeded in overcoming melancholic feelings as a mother having deaf children and turned this feeling into a story of success for them all. After the retirement of my father, my two sisters are financially supporting the family,” said Ashraf, the pride showing clearly on his face.

Carrying the theme forward, Abdullah said to encourage higher education among people with special needs, the Daw Al Akhdar show on Dubai TV has arranged for the financial support of Ashraf’s education — not as donation, but as a reward for his determination. “Ashraf has set an example not only to people with special needs, but also to normal youths, many of whom are far behind him,” said Abdullah.

When Ashraf’s story of determination was narrated to the Wild Wadi management, the entertainment venture believed in the need to encourage this segment of people to pursue higher education and integrate them in society.

Wild Wadi, in recognition of Ashraf’s relentless will, has rewarded the young man Dh15,000. “But before that, the management looked at creating a challenge before the show’s team by asking them to sell a 100 Wild Wadi entry tickets to the public with the returns to be allocated for Ashraf’s education fee,” said Abdullah adding,

“We were pleased to work for supporting Ashraf’s cause. We worked enthusiastically to set up a stall at a shopping mall, and BurJuman centre was the one that granted us the necessary permission to sell the tickets and to shoot for the programme’s sake inside the mall.”

“Because of poor public response, two of the team’s members rushed to the Dubai radio station to promote the campaign to get the public to buy. Unfortunately, we sold just 20 tickets. The situation prompted Wild Wadi’s management to donate Dh15,000, a bulk of the amount being allocated to Ashraf to support his university tuition fee for one academic year.”