Gaza’s autistic children master art of origami
Parents of children with autism in the Gaza Strip have discovered their kids’ hidden talent to fold papers.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Yazen Sami, a 5-year-old child with autism, sat with his eyes set on the flat paper in front of him. He held the paper and started folding it, right then left. It assumed the shape of a bird in his tiny hands. He took another paper and started turning it into a fish, then into other forms.
Yazen took up origami, the art of folding papers, after his parents accidentally discovered his hidden talent. Yazen’s parents believed origami would develop his mental capabilities.
Yazen’s mother, Jamila Ahmad, said, “His sister would do her homework while he sat by her side. Suddenly, he would start acting weird by holding a paper and folding it to form a certain shape — a plane, a ship or other paper forms.”
Origami is a Japanese word. Oru means “to fold” and kami means “paper.” The most beautiful shapes are created using this art.
