LIONS WORLD SERVICES FOR THE BLIND

LIONS WORLD SERVICES FOR THE BLIND

Continuing Education /Vrt9

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Nooh Al-Hadidi was born on November 14th, 1987 in Masqat, Oman. He was a perfectly healthy baby boy, though that was soon to change. When he was seven months old he lost his eyesight and it has never returned. When he was 4 years old, under the direction of his grandparents, Nooh was burned five separate times on the back of his neck and head by his parents in hopes that this would cause his eyesight to return. This of course did not work and he still bears the five separate scars on the back of his head from the ineffective treatment.

Nooh was five years old when his family took him to a hospital in Mumbai, India; at age 6 they took him to a hospital in Dubai. Both trips were in hopes that the doctors could do something to allow their son to regain his eyesight. These attempts failed as the doctors were unable to help Nooh.

At age seven Nooh received a scholarship from the Ministry of Education in Oman to study at Saudi Bahraini Institute for the Blind in Isa Town, Bahrain. Nooh had to leave his family and country to attend school in Bahrain because Oman did not have the resources or faculty available to handle proper education for a blind student. Nooh would spend ten years in Bahrain before he had to transfer again to finish out his education.

In 2005 Nooh traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and live there for three years to complete his education. While in Riyadh, Nooh worked for Nattiq Technologies which develops new technology, devices, and software for the blind. Nooh graduated in July of 2008 and had a decision to make; he could either further his education or continue to work. He decided to continue his education and pursue a degree in Computer Science.

In the same month Nooh returned to Oman and started writing letters to the Ministry of Higher Education in Oman. The only way for Nooh to be able to study is if he was granted a scholarship by his country. After many months of writing and others corning to his aid in support of Nooh, his scholarship was granted to continue his education. Unfortunately, the scholarship only covered tuition, not living expenses. So once again Nooh did not believe that his dream would be realized; however, weeks later an anonymous donation came forward that covered the rest of the living expenses. In the process of applying for a Visa to enter the United States, Nooh decided to sell his mobile phone in order to pay for the cost. He described this as a very difficult decision because, "Being blind, my mobile phone is the main way I am able to communicate with friends and family."

Nooh was accepted to Arkansas State University (Jonesboro) but realized when he got to the campus that he would need more training. Disability services referred Nooh to Lions World Services for the Blind for more specialized training in mobility with a cane and independent living skills.

Nooh will be taking English language courses at ASU for the summer and fall of this year and then start on his major of computer science next spring. Nooh's goals in life are to get his Doctorate in Computer Science and then either

work here in the United States or

return to Oman and start an educational center for the blind in Masqat.