SANA'A — The Care and Rehabilitation Association for the Deaf and Mute (CRADM), in cooperation with Al-Mostaqbal School for the Deaf, celebrated the graduation of its fourth class on Saturday.

 Ahmed Abdullah Al-Hamdani, CEO of  the Disabled Care and Rehabilitation Fund, and Hamood Al-Naqeeb, the head of the Social Affairs Committee, a committee linked to the Local Council of the capital secretariat, and Ayad Qaed, the secretary general of CRADM attended the ceremony.

The Local Council of the capital secretariat cares for the disabled to allow them to become effective members of society. According to Al-Naqeeb, graduation ceremonies like the one on Saturday encourage other disabled youth in the capital to study, just like those who graduated.

There are no precise statistical indicators on numbers of the deaf in Yemen. CRADM is looking for a sponsor to conduct a statistical study to record the number of deaf persons in Yemen, according to Hakeem Al-Ezi, CEO of CRADM.

"Officials at the Social Fund for Development promised to sponsor the statistical study this year," added Al-Ezi.

Mutahar Abu Taleb and Sumaia Barakat, two CRADM graduates, delivered a speech on behalf of the graduates in which they expressed the need for rehabilitation and work opportunities for the deaf.

In the ceremony, several sections presented the plight of the deaf.

CRADM was established four years ago, with about 4,800 male and female students studying there. It is considered the first institution devoted to the deaf in Yemen.

 CRADM supports Al-Mustaqbal School with about 33 teachers and administrators and about ten buses. Moreover, it supports the teachers with a salary of YR 19,000 per month.