There's no such thing as "This doesn't work"! This is the attitude that Anas Alhakim's father gave him from the beginning. It not only shaped him, but certainly helped him to find a clear answer to a question that had been on his mind for years. Which insights he draws from the Corona crisis and how he otherwise rolls, he tells us on REHACARE.com.
Name: Anas Alhakim Age: 28 City: Berlin, Germany Occupation: Computer science student and web developer Impairment: Dressocranial dysplasia (rarity 1:1 million) and paraplegia TH6 TH7 after surgery in 2003
Anas Alhakim: Irony and sarcasm. And I like to laugh at myself.
What have you always been wanting to do and why have you never done this so far?
Anas Alhakim: Drive a camping car and discover the nature of Europe. I didn't dare to do so, because such a journey takes a lot of time and is no fun alone.
Which person has influenced you most? And why?
Anas Alhakim: My father, because he always treated me and regarded me as a "normal" person without a disability. With him it was always so that the sentence "No, that won't work with you" didn't exist, but "How do we do it?" That made me stronger and more self-confident. Even though he is now deceased, I always carry his philosophy within me.
You have the chance to become the Commissioner for the Disabled. What would you do first?
Anas Alhakim: So let's be realistic... and think that inclusion is usually not a short process. It takes time and the participation of the whole society. And yes, it's doable. The Corona time shows us that people are capable of working together.
Then: create accessibility everywhere and invest more in digitization (for all people).
Then: Report and educate more about different types of disabilities.
What is especially near and dear to you?
Anas Alhakim: That people can deal more with the topic of disability and realize that disability does not always mean "weak".
To show understanding instead of pity and to try to enter into conversation without fear in order to reduce prejudices. Only in this way is it possible to get to know the person opposite.
I would like to be ...
Anas Alhakim: Mentalist. So a mind reader, so that I can understand people better and have the possibility to answer questions that nobody dared to ask because of fear.
Which question would you like to be answered the most?
Anas Alhakim: I've been thinking about this question since 2003, but I've only found an answer to it a few years ago: What would my life be like if I had no disability? Would I exchange my present life for it? The answer is definitely: No!
What I still wanted to say...
Anas Alhakim: Don't let anyone get you down and believe in yourself, your goals and dreams! Talk to people instead of about them.
