Statement:
- (2020 Grant recipients of Pulitzer Center)
The Behkoush Center is one of Iran’s most celebrated educational centers for people with mental disabilities. Boys aged ten years and older, diagnosed with any type of psychological and physical disability, are accepted here. In an effort to improve their lives, the center instructs the boys in a variety of fields, from basic lessons on shapes and currency recognition, to professional studies in mathematics, carpet weaving, woodworking, musical instruments, and theatrical acting. They are then introduced to the job market so that they may find an available career. The majority of instructors and assistants at the Behkoush facility are temporary and contract workers whose livelihoods are dependent on working there. Although three trainees have passed away from COVID-19, the Behkoush center has resumed operations at less than ten percent capacity to provide services to the ones who are in immediate need.
People with mental disabilities are amongst the most vulnerable groups in the fight against the coronavirus. In this center, the employees are trying hard to keep everyone safe by providing personal protective equipment to all the attendees. Despite taking all the necessary precautions, a child at the Behkoush Center recently became infected and died; this has resulted in some of the classes now being held online.
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- Gorgan,Iran – June 6 , 2020 : Mehdi Alaie, 39, while instructing music to his trainees, is using a protection shield since three children in the Behkoush center have been died so far because of the coronavirus infection. Although he does not have any permanent job and working as a music instructor for children provides him with only an approximate hourly wage of four dollars, he has been working with the Behkoush center as a permanent instructor for almost five years. The Behkoush center is one of the most celebrated educational centers for mentally ill people in Iran which instructs these people in varied areas and improves their abilities for the better life. Boys aged 10 years and older diagnosed with any type of mental and physical disabilities are accepted here and would be instructed in a variety of fields from basic learnings such as shapes and currencies recognition to professional learnings as mathematics, carpet weaving, woodworking, playing musical instruments, and theatre acting. Then they would be introduced to the job market in order to find a convenient carrier. Although, three trainees passed away due to the coronavirus infection, the Behkoush center has resumed open with almost less than ten percent of its capacity to provide services to the ones who are in immediate needs. (Photo by Mahdi Barchian/NVP Images).
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- Gorgan,Iran – June 2 , 2020 : Mostafa Rabbani, 15, is weaving a kilim. These kilims, woven under the instructions given to the mentally ill people at this center, are to sell and each person earns a wage according to their contributions. Mostafa, suffering from Down syndrome, had a lot of problems staying home all his time back then and before recognizing the Behkoush center existence, his family member were feeling the arduous task of taking care of him 24/7 too heavy on their shoulders. However, today he comes to the center on a daily basis, has a job, and is given practical and artistic instructions. A highly notable fact is that, he lives a dream world in which he has already made his own family and been living with them at his own house. (Photo by Mahdi Barchian/NVP Images) Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences
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- Gorgan,Iran – June 2 , 2020 : Ms. Hadi, an instructor for the mentally ill children, is trying to equip her trainees with gloves and masks. since the mentally ill children due to their being physically weak is one of the most vulnerable groups in fighting against coronavirus infection and much worse than that, only recently one of child in the Behkoush center has died because of the coronavirus infection therefore the classes are holding online. She is a temporary employee at the Behkoush center who has been instructing the mentally ill children for nearly 17 years.The Behkoush center is one of the most celebrated educational centers for mentally ill people in Iran which instructs these people in varied areas and improves their abilities for the better life. Boys aged 10 years and older diagnosed with any type of mental and physical disabilities are accepted here and would be instructed in a variety of fields from basic learnings such as shapes and currencies recognition to professional learnings as mathematics, carpet weaving, woodworking, playing musical instruments, and theatre acting. Then they would be introduced to the job market in order to find a convenient carrier. Although, three trainees passed away due to the coronavirus infection, the Behkoush center has resumed open with almost less than ten percent of its capacity to provide services to the ones who are in immediate needs. (Photo by Mahdi Barchian/NVP Images).
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- Gorgan,Iran – June 6 , 2020 : Yadegar Fathi, 40, instructing his trainees in playing the flute, is a Tehran Conservatory of Music alumni who he has lost his movement ability in a car accident. He was born in Kurdistan province – a city located in the east of Iran – however, owing to a lack of job opportunities there, he accepted the job offer of the Behkoush center located in Gorgan – a city in the north of Iran – and migrated there along with his wife. The Behkoush center is one of the most celebrated educational centers for mentally ill people in Iran which instructs these people in varied areas and improves their abilities for the better life. Boys aged 10 years and older diagnosed with any type of mental and physical disabilities are accepted here and would be instructed in a variety of fields from basic learnings such as shapes and currencies recognition to professional learnings as mathematics, carpet weaving, woodworking, playing musical instruments, and theatre acting. Then they would be introduced to the job market in order to find a convenient carrier. Although, three trainees passed away due to the coronavirus infection, the Behkoush center has resumed open with almost less than ten percent of its capacity to provide services to the ones who are in immediate needs. (Photo by Mahdi Barchian/NVP Images).
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- Gorgan,Iran – June 2 , 2020 : Ms. Beheshti is instructing mathematics to her trainees, Amir Karimi, Esmaeil. She who has been a mathematics and carpet weaving instructor for almost 15 years, is now merging her classes all into one due to the coronavirus outbreak and a considerable decrease in the number of her students as an inevitable result. Ms. Karimi who really worries about her husband and her children along with her trainees being infected with the coronavirus disease, has to go to her workplace these days. (Photo by Mahdi Barchian/NVP Images) Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences
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- Gorgan,Iran – June 2 , 2020 : Amirhosein, 27, playing the flute in order that he could be prepared to play in an orchestra specially organized for the mentally ill people. He who has lost his father owing to coronavirus infection, acquired numerous skills in areas such as music, sports, mathematics, and computer in the Behkoush center. Previously, he was working for his father but due to his father being dead, he has no job anymore. The Behkoush center is one of the most celebrated educational centers for mentally ill people in Iran which instructs these people in varied areas and improves their abilities for the better life. Boys aged 10 years and older diagnosed with any type of mental and physical disabilities are accepted here and would be instructed in a variety of fields from basic learnings such as shapes and currencies recognition to professional learnings as mathematics, carpet weaving, woodworking, playing musical instruments, and theatre acting. Then they would be introduced to the job market in order to find a convenient carrier. Although, three trainees passed away due to the coronavirus infection, the Behkoush center has resumed open with almost less than ten percent of its capacity to provide services to the ones who are in immediate needs. (Photo by Mahdi Barchian/NVP Images).
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- Gorgan,Iran – June 2 , 2020 : Omid Asgari, a mentally ill person, is sitting alone in his class where before the coronavirus outbreak he used to sit there along with at least 15 other classmates and receive basic instructions such as the recognition of colors and geometric shapes. However, since one of his classmates has recently died because of the coronavirus infection, the families of his other classmates are not allowing their children to participate the Behkoush center classes even after the quarantine period ended. As his parents are both going out to work, they cannot take care of him during their workhours and have to send Omid to the Behkoush center as a solution. (Photo by Mahdi Barchian/NVP Images) Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences
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- Gorgan,Iran – June 2 , 2020 : Ms. Kamangari is teaching mathematics to her student. Due to suffering from countless physical disabilities, the mentally ill people are among one of those groups who are at high risk of being infected with coronavirus disease. Since two of Ms. Hadi’s trainees died because of coronavirus infection, Ms. Kamangari is terrified of being infected with the virus, but she has to go to work and to protect herself all she can do is wearing a protection shield and frequently sanitizing her hands. (Photo by Mahdi Barchian/NVP Images) Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences
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- Gorgan,Iran – June 2 , 2020 : Alireza, 41, practicing a musical instrument in order to be prepared to play in an orchestra especially organized for the mentally ill people. In addition to playing music he is also involved in theatre acting, though being mentally ill. Married and being a father of an 18-year-old son, he works as a waiter in the Behkoush center. (Photo by Mahdi Barchian/NVP Images) Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences
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- Gorgan,Iran – June 2 , 2020 : Ms. Ahmadi is teaching mathematics to her student. Due to suffering from countless physical disabilities, the mentally ill people are among one of those groups who are at high risk of being infected with coronavirus disease. Since the death of the three trainees due to coronavirus infection, Ms. Ahmadi is terrified of being infected with the virus, but she has to go to work and to protect herself all she can do is wearing a mask and frequently sanitizing her hands. (Photo by Mahdi Barchian/NVP Images) Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences
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- Gorgan,Iran – June 6 , 2020 : Reza Asgari, 36, while posing for photographs is wearing his instructor’s protection shield. Though being mentally ill, he is highly talented in music, particularly in playing percussion instruments, singing as well as acting. He has such great communication skills that gives speeches to the guests of the center. Reza with marriage being his biggest dream, who uses Siamak as his stage name was born in a poor family. The Behkoush center is one of the most celebrated educational centers for mentally ill people in Iran which instructs these people in varied areas and improves their abilities for the better life. Boys aged 10 years and older diagnosed with any type of mental and physical disabilities are accepted here and would be instructed in a variety of fields from basic learnings such as shapes and currencies recognition to professional learnings as mathematics, carpet weaving, woodworking, playing musical instruments, and theatre acting. Then they would be introduced to the job market in order to find a convenient carrier. Although, three trainees passed away due to the coronavirus infection, the Behkoush center has resumed open with almost less than ten percent of its capacity to provide services to the ones who are in immediate needs. (Photo by Mahdi Barchian/NVP Images).
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- Gorgan,Iran – June 6 , 2020 : Ms. Beheshti is instructing carpet weaving to her trainee, Saied. She who has been a mathematics and carpet weaving instructor for almost 15 years, is now merging her classes all into one due to the coronavirus outbreak and a considerable decrease in the number of her students as an inevitable result. Ms. Karimi who really worries about her husband and her children along with her trainees being infected with the coronavirus disease, has to go to her workplace these days. (Photo by Mahdi Barchian/NVP Images) Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences
