Diving therapy to help the disabled in Oman

Muscat: A new website which is aimed at promoting therapy through diving for those with special needs was recently launched.
Oman Disabled Divers, lead by Tariq Al Khabori and previously also Stephanie Trier has been carrying out diving events for the disabled for the last few years all across the country.
“We started doing these events by around 2010, I was always enthusiastic about the initiative but it was Stephanie who encouraged me to start. What we do under the Oman Disabled Divers (ODD) is that we organise at least two diving events per year for people with special needs where they are first medically checked and then taken under water where they taught certain diving skills.
“This helps them with movement and works as therapy. We have seen many people take part in this initiative over the years and do very well. Some of them may find it hard on the ground but when they go into the water, together with the skills taught to them they are exceptional.”
Usually these diving events take place between three to five days. The ODD has received huge support from the government and private sector companies and is also associated with various international groups and organisations. They now want to expand their reach through this website.
According to Sayyid Nasr Al Busaidi, a patron of ODD and a scuba diver himself, “We are hoping that the website will provide more visibility not only in the local spectrum but also internationally. I hope that this platform will expand the reach and help Tariq and his team reach their objectives, which is not only rehab but I think its about providing an equal opportunity for those who wish to explore under the sea through diving.”
Moving forward, the plan is to take the dive challenge to more parts of the country, “The plan is to expand the reach in Oman and to host more events starting from Musandam all the way to Salalah. Hopefully there will be more focused events in the future.”