Viola Nouhi, May 2023

 

On Friday, May 12th, at the Effeta Institute, the graduation ceremony for the students of the final year took place! For the tenth consecutive year, the school provides its students with the opportunity to take the matriculation exams and obtain their diploma, known as "tawjihi" in Arabic, which allows them to access university.

 

Since 2013, the educational path has been extended, as emphasized by the Institute's Director, "We are one of the few schools in Palestine that allows them to graduate!"

 

Many of these students began their journey here in kindergarten and never left; among these desks, they learned mathematics, Arabic, English, but most importantly, how to speak, thanks to the constant work of teachers and speech therapists.

 

All the students are capable of understanding sounds and speaking, despite many of them having severe hearing impairments, which has never discouraged them! Over the years, they have learned to grasp lip-reading, and now as they prepare to face the world outside the institute, they are aware that despite their hearing loss, they will be able to interact with their colleagues and teachers!

 

When asked what they want to do once they complete this journey, many of them have no doubt: "study at university." Mahmoud and Ziad, lifelong friends, explain how their dream is to become engineers and they can't wait to start this new journey together!

 

Mahmoud is one of the beneficiaries of the scholarship from the Giovanni Paolo II Foundation, obtained through the "Sentiamoci Bene!" project funded by the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development, with the Institute of Bethlehem as a partner.

 

Speaking with them, there are many ideas for the future: some want to become nurses or midwives to care for others, while others want to continue the family business. In one way or another, these students have acquired a skill that no one can ever take away from them: the ability to communicate with everyone!

 

Good luck, students!