Muscat – Working alongside a committed team of volunteers and specialists, Tariq Jawad Al Khabouri has spent decades reshaping perceptions of disability in Oman, transforming the country’s coastline and seas into spaces of empowerment, confidence and inclusion.

At the heart of this transformation is Khabouri, founder of Oman Disabled Divers (ODD), whose long-standing commitment to disability advocacy has helped reshape perceptions, expand opportunities and restore confidence for people with disabilities across the sultanate.

Working alongside a dedicated network of volunteers, medical professionals and diving specialists, Khabouri has turned scuba diving — once considered inaccessible — into a powerful tool for empowerment, rehabilitation and social inclusion.

Khabouri’s path to inclusion advocacy began long before diving entered his life. Growing up in the 1970s and early 1980s, he witnessed first-hand how people with disabilities were routinely excluded from public spaces and community activities — experiences that left a lasting impression.

His formal work began in 1986, when he joined Race Aid, a charity supporting children with disabilities, at the invitation of Dr Wahid al Kharusi and Sheikh Saud al Rawahi. At the time, public awareness was limited and funding options were scarce, with wheelchairs among the most urgent needs.

In a bold and unconventional move, Khabouri proposed launching a fundraising magazine — an idea initially met with scepticism.

“Back then, people didn’t really know how to raise funds,” he recalled. “There was serious doubt about whether companies would even advertise.”

The publication was officially approved under the presidency of Sheikh Saud al Rawahi, former head of the Oman Athletic Association and the Oman Football Association. By 1988, advertising revenues enabled the purchase of the first batch of wheelchairs — a defining milestone.

“That approval felt like creating a wonder of the world,” Khabouri said. “It proved that ideas, when trusted, can change lives.”

In 1991, Khabouri joined the Welfare for the Handicapped Association, Oman’s first officially recognised organisation for children with disabilities, at the invitation of Barka al Bakry and Raya Saif al Riyami. The experience deepened his understanding of structured advocacy and sustainable community engagement.

This momentum led to the establishment of a special needs centre in Quriyat in 1993, serving families across coastal wilayats. Khabouri continued supporting disability organisations whenever the need arose, quietly strengthening the sector.

By 2002, he helped launch the Association for Early Intervention of Children with Disability, working alongside medical professionals and guided by Shakour al Ghamari, the first Omani woman appointed to the State Council. Innovative fundraising initiatives — including children producing greeting cards — helped sustain operations and widen outreach.

The most unconventional chapter began in 2009, sparked by a casual conversation that led to a daring question – Why not have scuba diving for people with disabilities?

Concerns around safety, funding and feasibility were immediate. Khabouri admits he was neither a medical professional nor a diving expert, but believed collaboration could bridge the gaps. That same year, he founded the Oman Disabled Divers Group, later evolving into Oman Disabled Divers (ODD). A pilot programme at the Oman Dive Centre in Qantab exceeded expectations, proving the concept both safe and transformative.

Programmes soon followed in Nizwa, Sur, Sohar and Salalah, each involving around 35 participants. As trust grew, families who were once hesitant became strong supporters.

Crucially, the initiative trained and certified 12 Omani doctors in hyperbaric medicine, ensuring medical oversight and long-term safety.

Despite financial pressures, logistical hurdles and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, ODD endured. Today, it uses adventure sports not just to enable movement in water, but to unlock confidence, independence and psychological wellbeing.

Participants often describe renewed self-belief that extends far beyond the sea.

“Making an impact doesn’t require exceptional expertise or vast resources,” Khabouri said. “It requires commitment, patience and a genuine desire to serve.”

As activities resume at full scale, sustainability remains the focus. Khabouri revealed plans to train 10 local specialists by 2026, reducing reliance on European experts from Germany and Spain and allowing year-round training for children with special needs.

“Building local expertise will serve the cause far better in the long run,” he said.

In a nation increasingly committed to inclusion, Oman Disabled Divers stands as a reminder that with trust, perseverance and an unconventional idea, even the deepest barriers can disappear — sometimes beneath the waves.

“We are grateful to the Government of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the print media, and our sponsors for their support in making our projects and events successful,” Khabouri said.