I grew up in a house that was full of love and tenderness. I give thanks and pray to Allah Almighty to have mercy on my father, Rashid Sa’ad Al-Alban, and my mother, Nora Sa’ad Al-Shetan, and lead their souls to the Gardens of Paradise, the highest place, where you worship only good qualities.

My life experiences have put me on my present path: to establish a company committed to making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. My first friend, who I used to play with in the most innocent stage of my life had cerebral palsy. In my fourth decade, my oldest son, Abdulatif, developed an incurable disease which lasted three years, and he died at 24 years of age. I ask God Almighty, also to usher him to the Gardens of Paradise, and, I ask this for every mother who has suffered the loss of her son and beloved one. My grief was real, but, instead of anger, with God’s help, I reached a place of patience and tranquility, which came from acceptance of the reality of my loss.

I accepted that disease or disability is not a person's choice, but can come from the love of God, to bring us closer to him and to raise our awareness and resolve to make a difference. I would not be as patient without having these influences in my life: the depth of love from my parents, the choice and opportunity to work with individuals with disabilities for many years, and coming to terms with the loss of my son. I thank God for working through me to improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families here in Kuwait.

For seventeen years I worked in this field with the most wonderful team -- we worked with love and devotion, without expecting anything in return, and in this time we were able to accomplish much that helped to increase the social integration of individuals with disabilities in Kuwait. Our success was a result of knowledge, love and determination, and our motto was, "People who cooperate with each other will never be beaten.” Some of the team are no longer with us on this earth -- Samiya Al-Thubaib, Iqbal Bukhamseen, Tahani Al-Maie. I ask God Almighty to grant their souls a place in the Gardens of Paradise. The other team members -- we still have each other.

The idea of setting up Training Gate originated after a thorough three-year study assessing the needs and services provided for people with disabilities in Kuwait and in the Gulf countries. This resulted in identification of the gaps in services to meet these needs which were not being met, as well as seeing the abilities and potential of the disabled who, despite their handicaps, managed to accomplished great feats in many areas which were recognized over time.

This idea crystallized in collaboration with my daughter, Nora, God protect her. She said to me: “If your message, Mother, is to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities; my message is to support you to help you achieve your message.” Nora joined me in my work. Nora grew up with the rest of her siblings and learned to love individuals with disabilities and became the youngest volunteer to help in activities for people with disabilities. She is a graduate of Gulf University for Science and Technology and majored in Management Information Systems, and, at the time, was working in the Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development. Now I am proud to say that Nora works with me as Deputy General Manager of Training Gate, which by the grace of God, in a short period of time, has been able to build bridges of cooperation and partnership with the best international institutions in the field of individuals with disabilities to help us accomplish our goals.

Training Gate was founded and established in November, 2009, and this would not have happened without the conviction in our credibility, enthusiasm and clarity of vision by members of the Board of Directors of Kuwait Finance House (KFH), represented by one of its subsidiaries, Human Investment Corporation (HIC). This commitment led KFH to lend their support by providing the financial resources to establish Training Gate Company as the first company of its kind in Kuwait, specialized in training and skills development for people with disabilities, their families, advocates, teachers, supervisors, co-workers, and related professional service providers in both the public and private sectors. Training Gate’s activities complement the educational, social, and health services in Kuwait and the Middle East and North Africa.

At Training Gate, we take the responsibility on our shoulders to offer “the best developmental solutions” for individuals with disabilities, their parents, advocates, teachers, supervisors, co-workers and specialists, in the public and private sectors, in collaboration with our international partners, in order to benefit from their knowledge and expertise in this field, which serves to develop the capacity of all who belong to the Training Gate family.

Training Gate will implement three national projects to improve the lives of people with disabilities in Kuwait, in line with the Kuwait Law 8-2010:

• The implementation of inclusive education for students with disabilities in Kuwait schools.
• Training to empower employees with disabilities, their employers and co-workers.
• Supporting persons with disabilities, their parents and families.

Thank you, Kuwait Finance House -- without your support Training Gate would not have been established. And, thanks, too, for all the institutions working in the field of individuals with disabilities who are contributing to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities, to all those who support these services, and special thanks to all those “stars” who lighted my way to work in this area. God bless you all and make this work counted with your good deeds.

We extend an invitation to all of those interested in this field and their families, inside and outside of Kuwait, to communicate with us and to provide what emotional or financial support they can. Such cooperation is essential to insure that individuals with disabilities have a future role in all aspects of society in our beloved country of Kuwait, and, in all the nations.

I have written these words based on a passion that is filled with hope for the future for individuals with disabilities to have a real role in their society and to provide support for parents to ease their lives.

Let our motto be .. We are friends!