Muhammad Al-Ghamdi

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — Despite being blind since the age of 1, Dr. Nasser Al-Mousa achieved first place in secondary school. He then continued his higher education in the US. He was sent there on a scholarship without anyone to accompany him and he came back with a doctorate in special education. He has become one of the prominent figures in this specialization in the Kingdom. He then became the first blind man to join the Saudi Shoura Council.



Al-Mousa tells his story:



“I lost my eyesight when I was barely 1. During those days, there were no health services in the rural areas. Diseases used to spread without people knowing the reasons. Nor did they know any treatment except the primitive cures. Losing my sight at such an early age did not cause me any psychological problems. I did not regret anything, so my childhood did not differ from that of any other child.



“My life passed through four stages beginning with my small village at that time — Rawdhat Sudair. Then through Al-Noor Institute, the scholarship stage and I returned to work after the scholarship.



“My childhood was normal. I was not overprotected. I used to climb trees and mountains. When the children of the villagers purchased bicycles, I was among those who owned a bicycle. I used to ride my bicycle in a simple and calm rural district.



“I can say I had a happy childhood, characterized by simplicity and spontaneity. When I turned 6, my father tried to enroll me in school, but ordinary schools do not give admission to children with impaired vision. At that time, Al-Noor Institute for blind students was inaugurated in Riyadh. As there was no hostel, I was not admitted to the institute.



“I waited for three years until one of my sisters and her husband moved to Riyadh, so I joined them and got enrolled in the institute in 1964. It was a big change — from a rural society to a bustling city.



“During my studies, I felt lonely and thought of leaving the institute until my relatives advised me to take a vacation. I took a two-week vacation and spent it with my family in the village. After that, I returned to the institute. I not only got used to the atmosphere, but I excelled in my studies.



Outstanding performance



“My outstanding performance began in Class IV when I participated in writing an essay under the title ‘Honesty’ and I presented it in the school broadcasting service. Despite rushing the presentation, I considered this the beginning of my participation in school activities. I learned public speaking and I wrote poetry in the intermediate school stage. When I was in the secondary school, the institute assigned me the task of writing a welcoming poem for then Minister of Education Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Khuwaiter, who congratulated me on my successful performance.



“I wrote a letter to Director General of the Special Education Program Abdulrahman Al-Abdan, requesting a scholarship abroad. He approved the scholarship. I graduated as the top student at this level in the Kingdom and this gave me the chance to be sent on scholarship to the US.



In the US without a companion



“I recall being sent to the US on scholarship in 1977. I traveled alone. There was nobody accompanying me. However, it helped me to become independent. When I met my colleagues at the Saudi cultural attaché’s office in Texas, they were surprised to see a blind student and they did not know how to deal with me. I explained to them that there is a center for training blind people and I wanted to enroll there.



“I studied at the center for three months. It was a center for preparing secondary school graduates to be admitted to universities. I was then sent to San Francisco State University in California. I obtained a bachelor’s degree in three years. I graduated with two specializations — linguistics and psychology. I joined the master’s degree program in special education in the same university. After that, I joined the doctorate program in special education. I graduated with excellent grades and first-class honors.



“I selected this specialization because it was new in the Arab world at that time. I also felt that people with special needs should take care of their own affairs themselves. I spent 10 years there. Of these, four years I spent alone.



Shoura, a rich experience



“My membership in the Shoura Council demonstrates the King’s confidence in me. I am proud of this. Although I am in my first year, I have realized that being involved with the council members is a rich experience.”