Dina Abdel Wahab – Social Entrepreneur Hero Of Neglected Children
On account of poor understanding and general lack of regard for the adversities caused by disabilities, intellectually or physically disabled children have long been among some of the most marginalized groups in societies. The same was true for Egyptian society, where people with learning disabilities were pushed to the sidelines, and as a result, they were deprived of meaningful opportunities to learn and grow. Families would view intellectually disabled children as a mere burden and would invest as little time and effort into improving the quality of life for such individuals.
The improper treatment and lack of regard extended to intellectually disabled people, especially children, rings true in many spheres of life. People with disabilities are often left out as demographics are whose needs can be identified and served by private and public companies, government organizations and institutions, etc.
While Dina Abdel Wahab’s story shares a similar beginning, through her grit and determination, the budding entrepreneur was able to change the trajectory of the lives of people with disabilities forever. Wahab’s son, Ali, was born with Down’s Syndrome, and when he reached preschool age, she realized there were no schools in Cairo that would cater to the special needs of her child. Set on ensuring that her child would have equal opportunity to lead an everyday and healthy life, Wahab decided to take it upon herself to set up a school that would provide for the educational needs of children with disabilities.
The Beginning of The Baby Academy
Dina Abdel Wahab’s resolve birthed The Baby Academy in Cairo, where children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 5 would be given equal opportunities to learn and grow. She built the foundation of this network of schools upon a child-centered approach to education. She brought people with diverse expertise in early childhood and special education to develop a specialized program to be sure that they meet each child’s needs.
Dina Abdel Wahab’s drive was simple: she believed that to change attitudes and misconceptions that societies around the world perpetuate about people with disabilities – efforts must be grassroots, and children are the starting point. With the creation of these schools, Wahab did not only seek to ensure quality education and extra-curricular activities were accessible to the children but also to educate the adults involved in the system about disabilities and how to tolerate them and rid oneself from any prejudices held toward people with disabilities.
Dina Abdel Wahab’s Legacy
The next step for the network of schools is to integrate children with disabilities as well as children who do not struggle with intellectual disabilities. Moving forward, Wahab hopes that The Baby Academy will grow to become the leading institution that provides early childhood education to children throughout the Middle East.
With her efforts, Dina Abdel Wahab not only identified a vast parity in the opportunities available to people with disabilities, but she also successfully highlighted an untapped demographic that would benefit immensely from products and services meant to serve their special needs. The takeaway here for entrepreneurs-in-the-making is that there are actual people who stand to benefit from the business beyond profits and market shares. Unquestionably, this story shows that businesses can be at the forefront of driving critical social change and that ventures should try not to alienate a very viable chunk of their target demographics. Ultimately, this helps companies capitalize on opportunities while simultaneously helping improve the lives of the most underrepresented groups in most societies.
Check the following reference articles to learn more about Dina Abdel Wahab – Social Entrepreneur Hero Of Neglected Children:
- ashoka.org. (n.d.). Ashoka fellow dina abdel wahab. Ashoka. Retrieved July 1, 2021, from URL
- New Horizons Un-Limited. (2005, October 31). News publications and media regarding education for people with disabilities. URL
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