Hussein Shakir works for Mercy Corps Iraq, and is based in the city of Nassiriyah.
Recent Posts
Iraq April 19, 2011 1:20PM
"Disability does not stand between a man and his aspirations"
Hussein Shakir
Project Officer, Iraq
Share:
Hassan outside the Mercy Corps-supported computer lab where he learned skills that got him a job. Photo: Hussein Shakir/Mercy Corps
"Disability does not stand as obstacle between a man and his aspirations. The real disability is the disability of will and determination," 21-year-old Hassan told me. He comes from a poor family of five siblings that struggles to make a living and survive in the Souk Al-Shoyuk district of Nasiriyah, Iraq.
Although he is disabled — he has to walk on crutches — Hassan is one of the most well-known athletes in this part of Iraq. He is a weightlifter who has won gold medals.
He told me that being disabled is a tough thing to deal with in everyday life but, over the years, he has adjusted to it. This determined young man has committed to overcome his physical challenges and look to his abilities — not to his disability — in order to assist his family in pulling themselves out of poverty and improving their living standards.