Today, Samira, a young Sahrawi woman, brings us a story of resilience from the desert, from the Sahrawi Refugee Camps. These camps, located in the Tindouf region of southwestern Algeria, host the Sahrawi population that fled following the Moroccan invasion of Western Sahara in 1975. They are considered the second oldest political refugee camps in the world and face extreme desert conditions (extreme temperatures, sandstorms, …), as well as a shortage of basic services such as water and food, and a heavy dependence on unstable humanitarian aid.
Samira, born in the refugee camps, lost her sight at the age of 17. In this video, she shares what the discovery of Braille meant for her and how, since then, she has dedicated her efforts to sharing her knowledge with other blind people, particularly children, to enhance their access to education as a tool for autonomy and empowerment.
Samira volunteers by teaching Braille to blind children at a small school in the camps.
In 2024, she founded the Himma Association to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities in the SADR (Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) and help build a more inclusive Sahrawi society.
Thank you so much, Samira, for making Braille and education accessible to more people and for sharing your story with us!
English Video-Transcript:
Hello and welcome, I am Samira Mohamed-Lamin, from the Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria.
Today I want to talk about something very important to me: the discovery of Braille.
I will speak in Hassania, which is the language of the Sahrawi people, that is, the language of Western Sahara.
For me, my first contact with Braille came when I lost my sight at the age of 17.
When I traveled to Barcelona seeking treatment, I was told I had a rare condition. I then got in touch with ONCE, the Spanish National Organization of the Blind, and that was the first time I learned about Braille, the first time I heard of it.
That discovery completely changed my life.
Until then, losing my sight had felt like the end of my ability to read, explore, and research. It seemed that path was completely closed to me.
It was almost as if I had lost all opportunities to learn and explore, and that I would no longer be able to read.
When I discovered Braille, all those barriers suddenly disappeared.
Suddenly, any challenge I faced felt possible to overcome, because I could read, write, and explore again.
And this experience is what led me to dedicate myself, through the Himma Association, which I founded in 2024 with my very limited means, to helping people with disabilities in the camps.
Our goal is to provide all possible tools and resources so that people can learn and gain knowledge.
For me, the best investment we can make is in human beings, especially children, giving them every opportunity to learn and develop, because through knowledge and education, they can grow in every area of life.
For me, Braille is a miracle. It is a miracle that, in my opinion, must never be neglected or allowed to disappear.
Unfortunately, due to conditions in the camps, resources are very limited.
We have no alternatives or sufficient support; there are no Braille books in Arabic or any other language, unfortunately. And from here, I call on everyone who values Braille to support the Sahrawi people in this regard. This is one of the purposes of my association.
And when we will hopefully return to the free Western Sahara, we will strive to ensure that Braille is always available for our children and siblings, and for everyone who needs it. For me, it is essential; it is an integral part of being human. Just like the white cane or technology. No device, no matter how advanced, can ever replace Braille for me, because mentally it is like bringing vision closer through the fingers; it develops the mind and abilities, as we all know. For me, in particular, it must always be cared for, never neglected or set aside.
Greetings to everyone, and thank you very much.
Video description and link:
A young woman sits at a table in a small room. Behind her, there are shelves with boxes. She wears a traditional Saharan mehlfa garment in shades of blue and white, which also covers her head. She speaks to the camera in her native language, Hassania.
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