Herat: Poverty fuels concerns among special people

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): A number of physically-challenged residents of western Herat province are concerned their vulnerable economic situation, complaining they are struggling to earn a living for their families.

A 16-year-old disabled girl, who visited the Department of Martyrs and Disabled along with her mother, said they were in need of urgent assistance.

Hawa Gul was paralysed after being buried under the debris of a wall that collapsed. She visits the department daily to register for aid but her efforts have failed to yield the desired result.

Abdul Hakim, another special man, lost one of his legs to the past conflict. Despite being issued with an aid card; he has not been introduced yet to any donor.

Reliant one leg, Hakim is forced to work to eke out a living for a family of five and pay his house rent. He says life has become difficult for him in the absence of assistance from the government.

Siffatullah, another resident with disability, said he lost one arm and one leg in a bombardment by Russian troops 36 years ago.

The apparently worried man said he had been registered several times for receiving aid by local councils, but all in vain.

The physically challenged people asked the provincial administration to provide them with job opportunities and thereby enable them to support their families.

Meanwhile, economist Miheek Falah characterised the situation of people with disabilities as worrisome.

He believed the closure of NGOs had created a host of problems and challenges for the special and poor people of the province.

Miheek said the government might not be able to reach out to all the issues due to cash crisis.

The department concerned estimates there are 5,000 disabled people and 7,000 families of martyrs in Herat.

Provincial officials also claim opening special bank accounts for people with disabilities and for martyrs’ kin.

Maulvi Ghulamuddin Saad, director of martyr and disabled affairs, said the government had sent 300 million afs to their accounts.

This money has been given to relatives of martyrs and deserving civilians under the Islamic Emirate and the previous government, according to Saad.

He did acknowledge the amount of money was not enough to meet the needs of such people. He urged welfare institutions to help the needy individuals.

aw/sa/mud