HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser attending the graduation ceremony for the first batch of students of Shafallah Centre for Children with Special Needs. PICTURES: AR Al-Baker/HHOPL

By Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter


About 180 children from Shafallah Centre for Children with Special Needs graduated at a colourful ceremony in the presence of HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson, Qatar Foundation.
A large number of special invitees were present on the occasion that included Munira bint Nasser al-Missned, chairperson, Qatar Foundation for Social Action, a number of diplomats from various missions in the country and a large number of prominent citizens from different organisations. The parents and family members of the graduates also were in attendance to witness the graduation ceremony.
HH Sheikha Moza interacted with the graduates and posed for a group photograph with them during the event. Al-Missned presented  the graduates with the certificates.
Addressing the gathering, al-Missned highlighted the role of Shafallah Centre in nurturing the lives of the children with special needs and the efforts to integrate them into the mainstream of the society.
She appealed the authorities to create more opportunities for the children by suggesting  to establish partnership with leading international organisations to integrate the children with special needs.She also lauded the efforts and hardships undergone by the centre and its staff in moulding the graduates.
Mohamed Bader al-Sada, managing director, Shafallah Centre, highlighted the achievements of the graduates of the centre and said that all the students go through the process of rehabilitation and training.
“As many as 106 graduates of the centre have been employed in various positions both in the public and private sector. Out of them, 76 were employed in the last two years,” he said.
“The Shafallah Centre has developed a comprehensive curriculum which is first of its kind in the Arab countries. We have also plans to get the centre accredited by one of the most accomplished agencies in the field.”
The graduation ceremony also had a couple of colourful and stunning cultural performances which highlighted the ethos of the organisation as well as the need to promote and integrate children with special needs into the main stream of life. Mohamed al-Kater was the valedictorian on the occasion.