JEDDAH — Braeem Independent Living (BIL) hosted the graduation ceremony of children with special needs, which was held at Sheraton Ballroom recently. BIL is a center that provides services to students of many disabilities, cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome and hyperactivity and delays in learning and growth. The ceremony commenced with the recitation of verses from the Holy Qur'an by a student of BIL. Leo Tito L. Ausan and Consul General of Philippines and his wife, Ms. Afshan Khokher wife of Consul General of Pakistan, the CEO of SEDCO Development, Khalid Jamjoom, artist Nermin Mohsin were guests of honor. A large number of prominent local businessmen and women, parents and supporters attended the event. The ceremony included many performances including performances by the special needs children on nursery rhymes. Performers of “Khawater Al Dalam” who took the “Arab's Got Talent” stage by storm last year conducted an impressive Light Show. Ms. Nosheen Waseem, the owner and the sponsor of BIL said, “Allah has chosen me for this job where we are accountable in front of Him directly as these children need our assistance in school. No words are enough to explain their feelings. When you see their innocent faces and pure souls you realize the presence of Allah. This project is far above the nationalities as it is for humanity.” Ms. Faiza Abdulaziz appreciated various sponsors of BIL saying that these are the people without whom we wouldn't have been here tonight. She spoke highly about the efforts of Imran Malik, Qadeer Malik, Viqar and Anwar Hussain Kamdi. “I cannot put my feelings in words as I pray for the team of BIL for providing such a positive learning experience to my special child,” said the proud mother of a graduate. Hamza Iskandar, a Saudi social activist, model/actor, host for Coke Studio Arabia season 3 and the CEO of Cancer Fighters Support Center said, “I fight cancer with a smile. He inspired the audience by sharing his struggles during his battle with cancer, and showed how there are people who have suffered differently, but still have lived with the integrity and strength that these students do every day.” Sadia Shafqat said: “It brings to my heart great joy when I think about how organizations like BIL are changing the mindset of people in our community. Over generations special children have been ignored and now it's time to realize that we need to celebrate their uniqueness instead of being obsessed with the idea of being normal.” Sadia Shafqat and Hamza Iskandar were also masters of ceremony. The event concluded with the awarding of certificates and a cake cutting ceremony.
