Only in recent decades has the Western World accepted disabilities.
There have since been significant changes to help make life accessible for the disabled.
In Saharawi society, it has taken one individual to change perceptions and treatment of disabled people.
Meet the Doctor
Boujima Fateh – nicknamed Castro, for his likeness to the Cuban leader – grew tired of seeing disabled people tied to the backs of tents, being fed scraps from the family meal.
And so, Castro created “El Centro Educacion y Integration” in Smara Refugee Camp, in Western Algeria.
The Centre started as a single room, opened with help from a Spanish NGO.
A decade later, that room has evolved into a Centre, with two classrooms, a library, and a “wild room”. There’s also a cafeteria and relaxation room, staffed by trainer helpers.
Each day before sunrise, Castro collects disabled boys, girls, and young adults, and brings them to the Centre. Here, they’re taught all the necessary skills to thrive and become integrated into wider society.
These skills range from basic literacy and numeracy, to basic survival methods.
In building the Centre, Castro appealed to the Polisario’s creed of a classless and prejudice-free society.
“In the Koran, we are all equal, and deserve the same treatment.”