Salem Aleida, a seven-year-old student with autism, loves playing football, and he only discovered his passion for the sport when he joined the Qatar Foundation’s Ability Friendly Program – an initiative that allows people with special needs to participate in sports and activities catered for them.
“Before, I wasn’t very good at football, but now, I am good at kicking the ball and shooting goals as my favorite football player Cristiano Ronaldo does,” Aleida says.
His mother, Nora says her son looks forward to Sundays when they go to Education City for football classes. “In fact, I never imagined that Salem would one day play football. He used to swim more,” she says.
Football helped Aleida build and strengthen the muscles of his hands and forearms – all thanks to catching and throwing the ball. Swimming, a sport that Aleida participated in, also through QF’s Ability Friendly program, contributed to the development of his motor skills.
“By engaging with a group of players, Salem has learned to control his movements and his body, and his muscles are stronger. He learned the skills of playing within a group, all of which are very important for children with autism, as sport acts as a physical, behavioral and psychological treatment for them,” Nora says.
The Ability Friendly Program includes specialized camps and football classes tailored to participants’ individual needs. And specially trained coaches offer numerous classes designed to accommodate the various abilities of children and adults.
“Coach Jaimie taught me how to play football. I love him very much. He is the best coach in the world,” Aleida says.
Aleida has a passion for reading, and his mother has encouraged his love for reading. And according to her, the unique environment provided by the program helps develop children’s communication skills and enhances their self-confidence, which affects the child's social and academic life, and makes them more ambitious and forward-looking.
“I love reading comic novels, and when I grow up, I will own a library to sell these books. I will offer multiple copies of The Dog Man which is my favorite novel. I will work to encourage children to read books, and play football and swim, because these are the things that I enjoy the most in life,” Aleida says.
