Shafallah Center opens Green House project for children with disabilities

Shafallah Center yesterday inaugurated a ‘Green House’ project for children with disabilities. The initiative, first of its kind in the country, promotes agriculture as a way to help them excel in physical and mental activities. The project, in cooperation with the Mitsubishi Corporation, aims at integration of persons with disabilities into the community. The initiative is considered a model for future pilot projects, that hopes to maintain a clean environment by generating energy from the sun, free of pollution factors and wind project which will help provide economic resources.
The unique project is designed to meet the goals of the centre through teamwork and to improve the children’s physical activities, by introducing them to agriculture and enable them to use and handle tools for cultivation. The centre believes that continuous training and practice which includes cultivating process, participating in marketing and creative thinking will help increase the self-confidence and abilities of the children with special needs and thus develop their skills. 
The green houses have controlled environment, in terms of lighting and temperature, helping in the best productivity of the plants. The initiative will have major benefit for the children by creating an atmosphere of cooperation and participation in the labour and caring for plants. The green house is cultivating six vegetables which includes cucumber, capsicum, lettuce, plant dill, cauliflower and tomatoes. 
“Green house will not only be beneficial for our children but will benefit parents, families and community. This will be an open door for the people who want to build a relationship with children with disabilities. I hope our children will integrate and socialise through these activities and help them empower,” said Amal Al Mannai, CEO Qatar Foundation for Social Activities and Acting Executive Director of Shafallah. 
“I believe that correct understanding and acceptance of the nature of disabilities is basic and the most important step to progress independence and social participation of persons with disabilities,” said Otsuka, Ambassador of Japan. 
Yasuo Yokota, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Cooperation Doha said: “We made some financial contribution to the Center back in years 2000 and 2001. Then, we committed ourselves to contribute $ 180,000 every year starting from 2008 for next 10 years, which is, a total $ 1.8 m. It has been always our strong wish to support Qatar as an important partner, especially children with special needs.”