ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

 Ahead of the Purim holiday, Israeli disabilities NGO Beit Issie Shapiro has partnered with the Holon Institute of Technology to make custom-designed costumes for children using wheelchairs and walkers.

This is the sixth year in a row that they have teamed up for this initiative.

The focus of the costumes is that the wheelchairs or walkers be incorporated into the design, rather than being hidden. This allows them to become the costume's best asset, empowering children and boosting their pride and confidence.

 

A special needs child dressed up as a construction worker for Purim thanks to Beit Issie
A special needs child dressed up as a construction worker for Purim thanks to Beit Issie (Credit: Jordan Polevoy)

 
“This special initiative was born out of a need we identified in the community: Children with disabilities who use wheelchairs or walkers would have their costumes hidden by their mobility apparatus,” Beit Issie Shapiro technology center director Noa Nitzan said in a statement. “We realized wheelchairs and walkers could elevate a costume and make them one-of-a-kind," she said. "These devices could become a part of the costume. For example, a wheelchair can become a construction worker’s dump truck or Batman’s batmobile and a walker can become a soccer goal.”

“We are proud to take part in this incredible initiative with Beit Issie Shapiro,” Holon Institute of Technology social impact projects director Adi Shpigel said.

“Our students gain relevant design principals beyond the classroom and it sensitizes them to the world around them," she said. "This initiative molds the future of Israeli design, exposing the designers of tomorrow to the world of disabilities. This project is the first step in opening their eyes to the possibilities and things to consider when designing for people with disabilities and inclusive design.”