Gaza amputee inspires young swimmers.

Amputee Inspires ⁢as Swimming Coach in Gaza

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) – Majdi El-Tattar was just nine‌ years old when he lost his leg‍ in an ‍accident. Now he is an inspiration to aspiring swimmers in ⁤Gaza – ⁣as a qualified swimming coach who runs his own school.

Parents bringing their children to swimming classes for the first​ time are surprised to see Tattar standing on two ⁢crutches, but their doubts ⁤soon turn into ⁣confidence when they see his skills in the water.

Tattar, now aged⁣ 42, lost his right⁣ leg when he was run over​ by a car. Faced with the problem of finding a job in the Palestinian enclave, where nearly half the working-age population is unemployed, he ‍took to swimming and qualified as a coach.

“I told myself I had to turn this ​ordeal into a blessing, I‌ made the amputation of my leg⁢ a⁢ motive for me to become an active⁢ member of‍ the society,” he said.

“I developed my⁣ skills and that enabled me to start a swimming​ school,” Tattar told Reuters as a few ‍dozen of ​his students trained in the‍ water.

His⁢ Palestinian Swimming Academy holds its classes in a ⁢local pool and its ‍students include youngsters‍ and adults ⁣alike.

The International Committee of the Red Cross ​lists at ‌least 1,600​ amputees among Gaza’s population of 2 million people.

Assalama Charitable Society, which cares for wounded ⁢and ⁢people with disabilities, said 532 Gazans had lost limbs in the conflict with ⁢Israel.

Earlier this month, the U.S.-based Palestine Children’s Relief Fund‌ (PCRF) brought together ⁢120 Gaza children who have upper and lower limb ‌amputations, into a ⁢summer camp.

“Our goal in Camp Ability ⁣is to‌ join the kids together, to bring ⁤them, to⁤ show them and show the communities they live in that​ they are able-bodied and they can do anything,” PCRF Dunia Saed said.

(Reporting by Nidal Almughrabi; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

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