Defying disability, paralysed young Jordanian pens inspiration

AMMAN — Suffering from cerebral palsy since birth has not stopped 21-year-old Moutasem Billah Abu Mahfouz from writing two books by typing every single word using the only organ he can fully control, his nose.

Moutasem is a third-year software engineering student at Zarqa University. He is a writer, social media activist, member of the Jordanian Writers Association and the first Youtuber with a speech disability.

He has challenged societal norms by authoring two books in Arabic. One is a memoir titled "Alnathra Althaqeba" meaning "The Intense Gaze", and the other is a novel titled "Asheqat Saheb Alkorsi" meaning "The Handicapped's Lover".

When asked about the motivation behind writing his first book, Moutasem told The Jordan Times in an online interview — typed with his nose — that the answer lies in the book title itself: "The Intense Gaze".

"The way people looked at me was the spark that pushed me towards working harder and achieving success. I wanted to prove that being in a wheelchair does not make me less of a human. It is my soul and thoughts that define me, not my body," Moutasem said.

From a young age, Moutasem tried to use his hands or legs for writing, but he was unable to control his limbs. He then conceived a new method of writing: Typing letters on a tablet with his nose.

He began writing articles at the age of 16 when he launched a social media account where he published his compositions.

"People started reading what I write and they admired my ideas and writing style while unaware of my physical condition," Moutasem commented.

These writings were then compiled into his first book which he described as "the first book of its kind for being written with a nose, and tangible proof that steely determination is a powerful and unstoppable weapon which pushes individuals towards great accomplishments".

In addition to writing, Moutasem excelled at school. He got a full scholarship for higher education at Zarqa University, which provided him with "all the needed help to facilitate his education journey", he added.

Asked about where he sees himself in a few years, Moutasem said that he aims to be "a goodwill ambassador for people with special needs". He is also keen on utilising his knowledge as a software engineer "to develop programmes that facilitate the lives of people with disabilities", in addition to his "continued passion for writing and expressing his thoughts to the whole world".

Working towards achieving his goal, Moutasem has founded a virtual society on Facebook for people with special needs titled "Nahno Taqa La Eiaqa", meaning "We are Capable not Disabled". It is currently run by 40 people and is followed by almost 1,000.

The society publishes posts on Facebook, conducts talks, organises events and makes visits to schools for the purpose of spreading awareness among the community and motivating people with special needs to be engaged members in their communities. 

In the absence of societal support, Moutasem is voicing his encouragement for people with special needs to believe in themselves, emphasising that "disability is only a myth, the real power comes from our souls and hearts, not our bodies".