Loa'i

Loa’i: My Blindness Will Not Obstruct My Future

Loa'i is a ten- year-old child who was exposed on January 14, 2009 to a heartbreaking tragic event. He was severely injured in an Israeli air raid which targeted his family in Beit Lahia during the war on Gaza. Loa'i was wounded when he left the school which they were living in after they had fled their house together with his father, and cousin. They intended to go back to their house to bring some personal belongings including food and blankets. They were obliged to leave the school on that day during the Israeli shelling because the school was crowded with people who lacked basic needs for living, to the extent that there were more than sixty people in one class. Loa'i’s first suffering at the school which lasted for 15 days did not give him any chance to escape the Israeli shelling. The injury resulted from the raid caused his blindness. He also suffered from a head and hand injury; while his cousin was also killed. The thing that deepened this tragedy was that Loa'i was left bleeding for an hour and a half and no one was able to have access to him to save him. Even his father who was about few meters far from him could not even move a single step to save his son because of the continuous Israeli shelling on Beit Lahia. Whenever Loa'i tried to crawl and reach his father, he failed. Loa'i's father says, “At that moment I thought I lost my son, but when I heard him calling me, I realized that he was still alive.”After that some girls came and helped Loa'i. They carried Loai to a safe place where his father was able to take him away. Then the ambulance came and carried him to Kamal Odwan Hospital where he was referred to Al Shefa Hospital. After that he was referred to Saudi Arabia to receive further treatment, and he was accompanied by his father.  

Loa'i was a happy, active and intelligent boy. He was his father's right hand in his modest trade which was helping them provide their basic needs. He liked to play and have fun. He was always thinking of buying a bike like all children do. He was always thinking of his future. He wanted to be a businessman. When Loa'i lost his sight, everything changed. His blindness prevented him from leading a normal life. It prevented him from dreaming and wishing.

Loa'i is greatly attached to his family, especially to his elder brother Rajab who had two children, Raed and Rajab junior. Rajab died in the late Israeli war on Gaza while he was working in a farm on February 16, 2009 hit by a foreign body. Loa'i did not know that his brother was martyred. When he returned from Saudi Arabia, he was waiting for his brother to be the first one who would hug him. Unfortunately, Loa'i was shocked when he heard his brother's martyrdom which deepened his suffering. He loved his brother very much, to the extent that he brought him a lot of presents and gifts from Saudi Arabia. Loa'i is still thinking of his brother and hoping to find him by his side all the time. He always hopes to see his brother. He thought, " Had his brother been alive, he would have felt stronger, and he might have had forgotten his disability ".

It is true that Loa'i lost his elder brother, but he returned from Saudi Arabia to find his nephew, Rajab junior standing by his side which gave him support.  

Loa'i's life has totally changed. That innocent child who was filled with activity and energy and who was always thinking of his future became helpless who depends on others. He became frightened and hesitant to take any step forward in his life. He became worried about his future expecting failure all the time. He became unable to achieve his simple dreams. His dream to buy a bike and ride it will never be achieved. He will never be able to ride it except at night with the help of his grandmother who spends the whole night watching him while he is riding.

When he returned from Saudi Arabia, he was referred from Majid Association, a civil Association working in Gaza to the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme’s Community Center. When the psychologist, Rawya Hamam visited Loa'i at home, he was suffering from some symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which included insomnia, nervousness, feelings of blame and anger at his family, feeling of pain for the loss of his brother. In addition to, being easily provoked for minor reasons and the feeling of helplessness for being blind, and this had increased after the martyrdom of his brother.

Family intervention services were provided to Loa'i and his family, including emotional debriefing, helping him express his feelings and coping with the circumstances that he is encountering through some daily activities which concentrated on the child's points of strength. The center is still following up Loa’i’s case and is still in contact with his family and his school. Through following up his case, Loa'i showed noticeable progress. He started to express his fears and concerns. He also stopped thinking of failure, and began to think of his dreams and future.

Loa'i still does not believe that he had lost his sight. He hopes that one day he will be able to see again. He is still determined that his blindness will never obstruct his way, and will never prevent him from living like any normal child. His dreams will grow with him, and he will always remain his father's right hand and the kind uncle for his nephews despite the calamity.