A group of Ladies at the SADA Fundraiser. (Photos: Ras H. Siddiqui)

People do not plan on having children with disabilities but once this happens, or disease strikes in families, the impact can be trying if not devastating. So right off the bat, the group which brought this event to us here in California deserves to be praised, writes Ras H. Siddiqui.

The Special Abilities Development Association (SADA) which was started in Lower Dir Khyber Pukhtoonkhawa (KPK), Pakistan, in 2005, was the focus of a fundraising effort in Elk Grove, Calif., at the Eden Gardens Event Center, May 12. Though the attendance was very low, it was important for some of us to highlight the fact that people with disabilities in Pakistan could use some assistance. SADA is a valiant effort and the fact that it started in a rural area and not the large cities, is noteworthy.

SADA’s mission is “To promote special abilities through social inclusion of people with disabilities” and that is what it is pursuing with vigor. I got a chance to speak with SADA’s wheelchair bound President Khursheed Alam Khursheed and found him to be extremely motivated about the organization and its work.

SADA Foundation Founder Khursheed Alam Khursheed.

Struck by polio at an early age, Khursheed shared his journey on growing up with a disability in a relatively remote area of a country with many challenges even for “normal” people. He said that both his hands and legs were affected by the disease at age 3. He added that he crawled everywhere till the age of 13 or 14 and could not go to school. It was not till 2002 that he felt that social inclusion was even possible. He later observed that people with disabilities face huge challenges in every area, in education and jobs. He also revealed that if some helpful facilities and jobs are set aside for the disabled in Pakistan, many are taken over by “normal” people (who pretend to be disabled). He added that after observing such cheating and discrimination he decided to do something for his community out of which the predecessor of SADA came into being. SADA is now a registered non-profit organization in the U.S.

SADA Founder Khursheed (l) being interviewed by Ras Siddiqui.

When we discussed the spreading of awareness about the rights of the disabled in Pakistan, Khursheed Sahib said that this is a movement (Tehreek) which is continuing. Different groups have been formed which are focusing on the government there to pay attention to issues like accessibility to buildings and special education. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the U.S. can be taken as a model on this subject as no public building or facility built in the last several decades in this country can be approved for occupancy without providing access to the physically handicapped. In Pakistan it was good to learn that 3 out of 4 state governments (Baluchistan, Sindh and Punjab) have adopted some laws (Pakistan Disabilities Act) on the rights of the handicapped. Unfortunately, the State Government of KPK is still (surprisingly) lagging behind in this area. Let us hope that acceptance there becomes universal soon and that Khursheed Sahib gets the support from people here in America. And since Dir is in close proximity to Swat, it would be nice if Malala Yousafzai could add SADA and the rights of the disabled to her agenda.

Komal Rizvi in action.

Now turning to the rest of the event, emcee Naeem Syed called everyone’s attention around 10 pm. The invocation was delivered by Imam Aamir Hussain. Two kids from the area community also added their voice in appealing for this cause along with Dr. Firdos Sheikh, Javaid Akhtar, Sohail Shahzad, Durriya Syed, Khursheed Alam Khursheed and Waqar Rizvi.

Last but not least the entertainment segment started with a single Ghazal presentation by “The Poet of the West” Javaid Sayed from San Francisco and by Khursheed Sahib himself. Plus, a very impressive closing by superstar Komal Rizvi, who sang quite a varied bouquet of songs here. It was a wonderful performance by Komal who presented numbers sung previously by the late Reshma, Madam Noor Jehan, Nazia Hassan and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan plus a couple of great Baluchi songs.

Dr. Firdos Sheikh and Komal Rizvi sing a duet.

One humorous note, worthy of mention here occurred when Komal invited anyone in the audience to come up on stage to participate in a duet with her to which Dr. Firdos responded. Komal praised her and naturally assumed she was Pakistani but quickly learned that she was Indian, to which Dr. Firdos responded while approaching the stage “Should I go back?” generating a great deal of laughter. Together they sang “Aap Jaisa Koi Meri Zindagi Mei Aaye To Baat Ban Jaaye” from the Bollywood film Qurbani (1980) sung by Nazia Hassan.

In closing, this event had a great deal to offer, a great cause, plus very good entertainment. A huge “Thank You” is justified to the few people who attended and donated for people with disabilities. And for those who could not make it please take to opportunity to learn more about the SADA foundation from their Web site at http://sada.org.pk/. The need is great.