Kazakh business delegation helps disabled boy visit Dubai

A disabled boy from Kazakhstan fulfilled two of his cherished dreams, one of which was a visit to Dubai.

9-year-old Ali Turganbekov from Kazakhstan, born without legs, had three cherished dreams: a meeting with the famous Nick Vuichich, born without limbs, visiting Dubai and getting prostheses so that he could feel like part of society.

Now that he has completed the first two points of his list, Ali urges people to never stop dreaming: "Believe, dream, then act. All that you want will come to you." Ali made this speech to the media with the help of his translator before the family left Dubai on Monday evening.

His trip was organized by a Kazakhstani business delegation that found out about the boy’s desire to visit Dubai from a television interview.

The boy’s mother Akmaral Amireeva said that the warm welcome and accessibility of public facilities in Dubai made Ali want to stay in the emirate.

"The people here were very friendly, he could walk freely on his hands, this is something he cannot do at home. In shopping centers and public places there are ramps and the corresponding infrastructure, which is designed for people with disabilities," Amireeva said.

Ali has always been fascinated by oriental culture. Most of all, Ali liked the Dubai desert safari and the beach. “I liked walking and feeling the sand with my hands, and I really liked the weather in Dubai,” he said.

Despite his disability, Ali continues to engage in various sports, including football and swimming.

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