"A single hand cannot clap, but it can write! It plows, sows, and reaps; a single hand, even if it doesn't find another, doesn't mean it dies alone; I have always believed this; we must renew our concepts!" With these inspiring words, Saida Zouhair proudly confronts her disability. The young teacher, residing in Casablanca, Morocco's economic capital, has recently become a focal point for a growing number of followers on social media, and various Moroccan platforms have amplified her words, viewing her as a symbol of ambition and determination.
The 31-year-old shared in an interview with "Sky News Arabia": "I was born with an incomplete hand and lived my life fighting the bumps of life with one hand."
**Disability as Strength**
With an incomplete hand, Saida has faced her own battles in life. It was her fate to be born different from her peers, but she decided to live her life courageously and not succumb to the pitying gazes of some. Reflecting on her past, she recalls how the principal of her elementary school refused to enroll her, claiming she needed special care, and some viewed her childhood as a punishment imposed on her family.
Saida added, "Currently, I live a peaceful life with my family and practice my profession normally. Because disability is not a weakness but a strength, I decided to reconcile with myself, leave society's perceptions behind, and focus solely on realizing my potential and dreams. I succeeded with only one hand. If you ask me about the secret of my strength, I will tell you: I did not choose my disability. My difference is what distinguishes me, and my disability is what gives my life a flavor that many lack."
Saida graduated from Hassan II University in Casablanca with a degree in Islamic Studies and did not face any bullying during that time, as the university, according to her, includes students with various disabilities.
**A Ray of Light**
Saida created a blog on Facebook where she shares her life thoughts and reveals how she faces her challenges, naming it "One-Handed Dream." The teacher, who works at a private institution in Bouskoura, on the outskirts of Casablanca, stated: "Today, I share my story with people through my page (One-Handed Dream). Perhaps there are those crushed by life who come across my posts, and a faint light shines upon them, reviving them anew."
In one of her posts while on a swing, she wrote: "You will never feel the extent of the happiness I experienced during this moment as I try to achieve a childhood dream that I couldn’t fulfill back then due to the difficulty of balancing on the swing with one hand."
**Challenges of Being a Woman with a Disability**
"Being a woman with a disability is not an easy matter in our society," says Saida, who recounts that the hardest phase of her life was during her job search. While her friends found it easy to integrate into the job market, her applications were met with rejection or postponement.
Saida candidly admitted that she often receives questions from her young students, who inquire, "Where did your hand go?" She shared a humorous incident while teaching a lesson in class last year, saying: "After I asked the first-grade students to prepare for the dictation session, a student raised his finger and surprised me with an innocent question: 'Teacher, where is your left hand?' Everyone shouted: 'She doesn’t have a hand, Younes!'"
The teacher continued: "I smiled gently, ran my hand over his head, and told him that God is the doer of what He wills, and that His testing of His servants is to test their patience until they are compensated for that. I concluded my words by saying: My hand led me to paradise."
