Tawasol – Dec 2017 issue

‘Tawasol’ (which translates to ‘communicate’) is our newsletter for MS organisations in the Arab region. Each issue features news from MS organisations, as well as a profile of a person who is involved with the MS movement.

The December issue of Tawasol includes news shared by 17 organisations in 11 countries.

You can view the full newsletter in Arabic here: https://issuu.com/arabmsorg_mar2013/docs/dec_2017

Here are the highlights from this issue:

1. Saudi Arabia: Saed Charity Association to support MS patients organised workshop on MS and ED system and it is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia. It was attended by people with and affected by MS to understand more how to live with MS.
2. Jordan: the MS Society in Jordan participated in a workshop on rights of people with disabilities organised by the High Council of People with Disability.
3. Iraq: Al Hayah MS Society organised an educational campaign about MS in the southern governorates where they distributed brochures about MS among young people.
4. Morocco: the Moroccan MS Association (AMMASEP) organised its first awareness campaign in the educational institutions on 29 December.
5. Kuwait: MS Association in Kuwait participated in the launching event of the “Mosanada” Programme organised by Patients Support Fund that aims at providing residents from other countries who has MS with free treatment.
6. Tunisia: the Tunisian MS Association (ATSEP) organised the first psychological support sessions in its headquarters and also the first psychological support session in Sfax branch. The sessions were well received by the participants.
7. UAE: The UAE MS Support Group participated in the AccessAbilities Expo, an international exhibition for people with disabilities held in Dubai and the TechNO Disability conference and exhibition that took place in Bahrain.
8. Morocco: A founding meeting for the Moroccan Federation was held in Rabat during November with participation from 5 MS organisations and the draft governance law was approved and roles has been distributed.
9. MS Care Society in Egypt was hosted by number of TV programmes to talk about MS and the organisation.
10. Lebanon: the Society of Lebanese Friends of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (ALSEP) was invited by the American University in Beirut to participate in the awareness day organised by the university for the new students. The students were given brochures and were also given the chance to try the MS symptoms simulations tools.
11. The National Association for Human Rights organised a marathon to raise the awareness of MS with participation from the Bahraini MS Society to spot the light on people with MS’s needs and rights.
12. Morocco: ARazi MS Society completed its first project of producing brochures about MS.
13. Saudi Arabia: Arfa MS Society received support from the Annual Charity Run. This year marathon was about raising the awareness of MS in the governorates of the Eastern province.
14. Yemen: MS Society in Aden-Yemen provided MS treatment for number of people with MS and has also helped one of its members by covering the cost of MRI. The organisation also helped newly diagnosed people with MS to complete their registration paperwork at the relevant authority.
15. Morocco: The North of Morocco Society for people with MS (NORD.MA.SEP) attended training and workshops on project design as part of MSIF capacity building programme which was attended by other two organisations (AMMASEP and HANASEP). The training was useful and was much needed.
16. Lebanon: L’Association Libanaise Contre La Sclérose En Plaques (AliSEP) organised the annual lunch to celebrate the Christmas. The event was covered by press and media and the president of the society was hosted by number of TV programmes to talk about MS and the organisation’s work.
17. Morocco: Al Hanaa MS Society in Fes (HANASEP) attended a workshops organised by MSIF along with MENACTRIMS Congress in Dubai where number of MS organisations from different Arab countries attended.

In addition, we also had a contribution from Ceri Angood Napier, Deputy Director at MS International Federation (MSIF), on using the 7 principles to improve Quality of Life for strategic planning.

Saed Charity Association (Saudi Arabia)

MS Society in Jordan

Al Hayah MS Society (Iraq)

Moroccan MS Association (AMMASEP)

MS Association in Kuwait

Tunisian MS Association

UAE MS Support Group

Moroccan Federation

MS Care Society in Egypt

Society of Lebanese Friends of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (ALSEP)

National Association for Human Rights (Bahrain)

ARazi MS Society (Morocco)

Arfa MS Society (Saudi Arabia)

MS Society in Aden (Yemen)

North of Morocco Society for people with MS (NORD.MA.SEP)

L’Association Libanaise Contre La Sclérose En Plaques (AliSEP)

Al Hanaa MS Society in Fes (HANASEP)