Blind Palestinian's memory feat earns respect

If you live in Ramallah chances are Mohamed Hashem knows your phone number. The phone operator at the Ministry of Social Affairs has memorized more than 80,000 phone numbers and is one of its most trusted employees, especially after he saved the building from burning down.

Hashem is blind.

For four years Hashem, who is in charge of transferring all the ministry's phone calls and is entrusted with keeping the ministry’s keys, has earned the respect and trust of his colleagues.

Hashem said learning numbers by heart has been his hobby since he was a child. So he found it easy to memorize all the numbers he needs in his work without getting help from phone directories.

One of his collegues, Arafat, who did not give his last name, said Hashem is also known for his courage after he saved the ministry building from a deadly fire.

"One of the employees forgot to put out his cigarette and the building caught fire," Arafat told Al Arabiya. "The entire building would have turned to ashes hadn't Hashem acted swiftly and courageously."

Hashem's friendliness and sense of humor have also made him popular with the regular callers. Even people calling for the first time have heard of him and are keen to talk to him.

A hard-knock life

Hashem's life has not been an easy one. He lives in in al-Medeya village, 35 kilometers (22 miles) from where he works, a simple house with only the most basic necessities.

His blindness was caused from simple eye dryness when he was just three months old. "Ignorance and lack of medical care made me blind," he told Al Arabiya. "Doctors said I was a hopeless case, but I never lost hope of regaining my eyesight."

Hashem went to a special school for blind children in Bethlehem until 1990 and was then transferred to a public school in the village of Naleen, where he completed his high school education.

Hashem proposed to 13 girls from his village and the neighboring villages, but they all rejected him. He finally married his cousin Sabreen.

"She is educated and intellectual and does not have biases against people with disabilities. She does not feel embarrassed to be married to a blind man."

Hashem added that his wife's recent pregnancy has brought him indescribable joy.

(Translated from the Arabic by Sonia Farid. Editing by Courtney C. Radsch)

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