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CHILDREN stepped forward onto the catwalk to raise awareness about autism as well as help fund a facility to aid developmentally-delayed young adults in the kingdom.
The inspirational Fashion 4 Autism show was staged by the Bahrain Society for Children with Behaviour and Communication Disorders (BSCBCD) at the Sheraton Bahrain Hotel.
The catwalk featured 45 young models, aged five to 21, providing a colourful parade of modern creations, from traditional Arabic-inspired jalabiyas, thobes and harem pants to fancy suits and summery, glamorous dresses.
While the brightly-hued designs impressed guests, it was often the smiles of the models that stole the show. Some of the stylish children were students of the Sitra-based Alia School for Early Intervention (AEI) who bravely set aside any communication issues they may have to deal with for the cause.
The other participants were their siblings alongside caring supportive pupils attending the Alia Primary School which is also located in Sitra.
Fathi Abdulrahman Matter, a retired media consultant from Riffa who is a board member at AEI and has a 15-year-old daughter with autism, said: “The concept of the show was to promote and empower autistic children. We wanted to show that it is capable to include them within our society and the fashion event proved that. It was tailored to integrate individuals with special needs into the creative community.
“The children were beautiful and enjoyed every minute of the show. They practiced at a dress rehearsal and surpassed everyone’s expectations on the actual day. Some even added their own touches at the end of the catwalk while posing for the cameras.”
The Fashion 4 Autism show was the brainchild of BSCBCD’s secretary general Dr Rania Bint Ali Al Khalifa, and was held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Shaikha Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of his Majesty the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW).
The impressive stage and event was organised by Red Scarf Bahrain. Eric Boss, its chief executive officer, said: “We were particularly proud to participate in such a unique event for Alia School. We are determined to help raise awareness, to give joy and to make sure that all those kids had a memorable experience.”
The youngsters wore labels from contemporary boutique Saks Fifth Avenue as well outfits made by local designers.
Mark Asfahani, Saks Fifth Avenue’s division manager, said: “We were very excited to get involved with the children and join them on their very first fashion show. We hope the event will continue in the future.”
Other outfits with flair were created by the AEI arts and crafts team and former pupil Hussien Haji, one of AEI’s most successful inclusions into main stream society. The autistic teen, who designed men’s suits for the show, is now in the ninth grade at Ibn Khuldoon National School’s (IKNS) Middle School.
Mr Matter added: “We are very proud of how far Hussien has come and how well he is doing at IKNS. People need to understand that autism is neither a puzzle nor a disease; autism is a challenge for both parents and society.
“Scientifically, autism is a neurodevelopment disorder characterised by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication and restricted and repetitive behaviour. It is a medical condition that often inhibits social interaction and communication.
“Parents should accept and embrace their children’s difficulties and work with local centres such as AEI to achieve a better and faster inclusion into society. Do not force your child to behave as you do or as their siblings do. Let them develop their own way of communicating with others. Autism is not a tragedy, ignorance is.”
AEI, which was set up in 2004 by BSCBCD, caters for autistic children with 130 students enrolled into its curriculum and 400 waiting to be included.
An American educational consultant group known as Applied Behaviour Consultant (ABC) was employed to help set up the AEI School and train the staff in line with an approach called Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).
The consultants revisit the school every four months to assess the progress and to deliver more advanced training. In 2005, the school was awarded ABC accreditation in ABA approaches and is now certified to train parents, teachers and other professionals in educating children with behaviour and communication difficulties.
According to Mr Matter, AEI has worked closely with telecom company VIVA Bahrain to establish Al Malli Medical Complex allowing medical experts to further help autistic children. Funds raised by the fashion show will go towards an ambitious BD1.5 million Residential Youth Care Facility project which will be available for those aged 16 and above who are described as ‘moderately developmentally-delayed’ and require training.
Mr Matter added: “By serving this particular group we can create an excellent living environment, including a social family-like atmosphere and active lifestyles for all the residents.
“This is the next big project. This centre will include a complete separate living quarters for both genders, with specialised nursing and educational teams.
“A family environment is the key word for such a centre and we are expecting lots of families who are travelling abroad to be the main clients. We are also hoping to find big-hearted individuals to donate towards a location for the project.”
The fashion show also featured a mini-art gallery showcasing the creative talents of the students at AEI and some art pieces were put up for auction during the event.
The activities in total raised around BD20,000. Future fundraising events are in the pipeline during the rest of the year.
To donate or find out more about the school and future plans, contact 17730960 or email autism@batelco.com.bh
