Refugee from Nablus wins two races in the sports festival for the disabled – UNRWA article

Nimeh Her Disability and Wins Two Races

7 July 2011, West Bank —  Ten-year-old Nimeh Mansour trained day and night to take part in the first sports festival for disabled people in the West Bank, organised by UNRWA’s education department last month. The hard work paid off, as she won came first in the festival’s marathon race.

Fifth-grader Nimeh, who uses a wheelchair, lives in Balata refugee camp near Nablus, with her four sisters and parents. At the prize-giving ceremony, Nimeh said: “I am very happy with this achievement. I wish to represent Palestine abroad in the future. I would like to tell my fellow competitors not to despair, and to defy their disability to continue with their studies and work.”

She also came second out of 55 in the first Australian-Palestinian community race organised by the Australian Representative Office in Ramallah in May this year, and is good at gymnastics.

Her elder sister, Iman, who brings her to and from school each day, added: “My sister shines in the team and manages to play with a very high team spirit. She has lots of potential.”

Thanks to the education recovery plan, launched by the Education Department almost two years ago, and which focuses on children’s well-being, children with disabilities have been integrated into the mainstream. This has proved beneficial for children like Nimeh, who have grown to be competent, self-confident leaders.

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