Holy Land: Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation

As well as good medical care, BASR provides school lessons to the children during their time at the Centre.

The Centre has physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy departments, and offers counselling and advisory services

Care has been taken that the residents should not feel shut in. There are big windows with lovely views over Bethlehem, Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley, lots of plants which have been donated by local people, and bright colours everywhere.

There is a small section for adult in-patients and a very busy out-patients department with physiotherapy, a hydrotherapy pool and an orthopaedic workshop.

From time to time, disabled children who also have sight problems are transferred between the Helen Keller Centre (another BibleLands' Project Partner, in Jerusalem) and the Society. One of the physiotherapy aides at BASR is a blind woman who was educated at the Helen Keller Centre.

Many of the workers at the Society are themselves disabled, and they are a good role model to the children, proving that disability need not mean a lifetime of dependence.

In recent years, BASR has set up many small Outreach Centres in towns and villages in the area — where visiting physiotherapist and rehabilitation workers help parents to care for their disabled children. This allows the children to continue to progress at home, and integrate with their community.

This is Abdallah, who was one of the patients at BASR. After several months' rehabilitation, he became well enough to return to his family.

Following a gunshot wound to his head, Amjad
was in hospital for two months in a coma. After this, he was referred to BASR for rehabilitation. He could not speak, hear or eat. Gradually he began to get well. His family were unable to visit him, and so this photo shows the mother of another patient at BASR visiting Amjad and giving him motherly care and love.

Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation Location: Bethlehem, Holy Land Director: Edmund Shehadeh Founded: 1960 How it all started The Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation (BASR) began as a Cheshire Home. It was founded in an old house in Bethlehem, providing care for a few physically disabled children. After it was handed over to the Bethlehem Arab Society in 1975, the work grew and, in 1990, the Society's dream came true when land on nearby Beit Jala hill, on the outskirts of Bethlehem, was bought and a new, purpose-built Centre was erected. The Society's aim is to admit badly disabled young children with serious injuries and disabilities and give them intensive treatment, usually over a 3—6 month period, after which they return to their families. In the past, disabled children often stayed at BASR for many years. However, BASR now concentrates on intensive rehabilitation and integration back into society. Early intervention often helps prevent more serious disability and, following their treatment, some children go on to schools for the 'able-bodied', others to special schools in their areas, and others live in towns where they can continue treatment. They can return to the Centre at any time for a check-up, for further treatment, or for new braces or shoes. BASR does not exclusively work with children, it also provides medical treatment and rehabilitation services to older disabled children and adults, such as nursing care, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. The new Centre, built in 1990, provides vocational training, a workshop and a hostel for young people. Through this work, the Centre aims to provide holistic care, offering rehabilitation at the Centre, in the home and in community day-care centres. Because the Centre concentrates on early intervention, most of the children are very young. Their mothers usually spend a lot of time at the Centre with them, both because they are so young and also in order to learn how to continue the care when the children return home. Current activities BASR provides high quality care for its patients both during and after their treatment at the Centre. Below are some examples of the care it provides. As well as good medical care, BASR provides school lessons to the children during their time at the Centre. The Centre has physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy departments, and offers counselling and advisory services Care has been taken that the residents should not feel shut in. There are big windows with lovely views over Bethlehem, Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley, lots of plants which have been donated by local people, and bright colours everywhere. There is a small section for adult in-patients and a very busy out-patients department with physiotherapy, a hydrotherapy pool and an orthopaedic workshop. From time to time, disabled children who also have sight problems are transferred between the Helen Keller Centre (another BibleLands' Project Partner, in Jerusalem) and the Society. One of the physiotherapy aides at BASR is a blind woman who was educated at the Helen Keller Centre. Many of the workers at the Society are themselves disabled, and they are a good role model to the children, proving that disability need not mean a lifetime of dependence. In recent years, BASR has set up many small Outreach Centres in towns and villages in the area — where visiting physiotherapist and rehabilitation workers help parents to care for their disabled children. This allows the children to continue to progress at home, and integrate with their community. The Society's work has enhanced the overall quality of life for hundreds of disabled children and their families, helping them to integrate into society, to be independent and to live with respect and dignity. The alternative for these children would be a severely limited existence shut away from the world, and little hope for their parents.
		This is Abdallah, who was one of the patients at BASR. After several months' rehabilitation, he became well enough to return to his family.

		Following a gunshot wound to his head, Amjad was in hospital for two months in a coma. After this, he was referred to BASR for rehabilitation. He could not speak, hear or eat. Gradually he began to get well. His family were unable to visit him, and so this photo shows the mother of another patient at BASR visiting Amjad and giving him motherly care and love.