They lost their sight, but not hope for a better future.

Malak is a 12-year-old student who became blind three years ago and joined Abdullah Ben Um Maktoum School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Like her brother, also blind, she wants to become a teacher and serve in the same school where she learns skills and receives knowledge to help her face a world that looks dark to her.

But for sure, things will be pleasantly different for her and her schoolmates and even for the present generation of around 8,000 visually handicapped children in the country.

Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania paid a visit to Malak's school in Marka, named after a blind companion of the Prophet Mohammad.

Having had a firsthand look at the situation and the learning environment provided to the 144 students in the school, the King issued directives to the Ministry of Education to replace the worn-out 38-year-old building with a modern, fully-equipped and upscale new building that meets international standards.

In the meantime, maintenance works will immediately start on the existing school, which will also be provided with new buses.

The King also ordered rehabilitation and training courses for the school's teachers, including overseas programmes.

This is very essential as far as one teacher is concerned. Nuha Najem, a sighted teacher who joined the school a year ago, said teaching the blind is a “big challenge and needs special skills”. At first, she said, she felt her life would have been better had she been appointed in regular school.

“But if I am given the choice now, I would prefer to remain where I am,” she said.

The school does not only serve its students, according to principal Majed Rahal. He said that regular textbooks (from grade 1 to 9) are translated by the school's teaching staff into Braille to be used by the students. Since the highest level in the school is 6th grade, older blind students from other schools can obtain copies for free.

Rahal expects the new school building will provide a richer environment for visually-challenged students, especially since it would house a vocational training centre for girls. “We do not have the capacity to train blind girls in household skills, for example,” the principal said. “We are also ambitious to have a talking book library and a computer lab with enough equipment to train students.” The school's lab now is dedicated to training blind teachers, who now hold ICDLs.

When the new facilities are in place, Malak will have more options that will help her make a good teacher and a productive citizen.

Charity visited

Their Majesties also toured a girls orphanage in the same neighbourhood.

The King was briefed by officials on the needs and concerns of the Hamza Ben Abdul Muttalib Society, which provides social services to 18 young women.

The King directed concerned officials to provide the orphanage with new furniture.

The other wing of the society is a clinic that provides healthcare services to the local community.

Upon the King's directives, the facility will have a new ambulance, cardiograph and new equipment for the dental clinic.

The society serves as a boarding school for girls who lost their fathers or both parents from the age of six until they finish high school. Since its establishment in 1948, about 160 students graduated from the NGO.

The female students are also offered the opportunity to obtain one of the academic or vocational education scholarships offered by Al Aman Fund, which is chaired by Queen Rania.