Khost disabled people seek vocational trainings

KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): Some disabled people in southeastern Khost province say they should be provided with vocational and professional training to enable them to permanently support themselves instead of temporary assistance.

Based on statistics, more than 6,000 disabled people are registered with the Department of Martyrs and Disabled Affairs.

Disabled in both legs, Mohammad Noor, who uses a wheelchair, is a resident of Waziyan village. He said he held a bachelor’s degree in political science.

Mohammad Noor told Pajhwok Afghan News he was always denied job on approaching every government and non-governmental department due to his disability.

“I graduated from the Faculty of Law (LLB) in 1399 solar year, since then no institution I approached provided me with a position”.

He said temporary assistance provided to disabled people by government and non-governmental organizations could not meet the needs of their families.

According to Mohammad Noor, if relevant organs are truly committed to helping the disabled, they should provide them with vocational and professional training so they could be free from begging.

“Nothing positive has been done for the disabled in Afghanistan. A sack of flour or rice cannot cure their pain. Educated disabled people should be recruited into government departments, and illiterate disabled people should be trained in various professions so they could earn a living for their families”.

Meanwhile, Mirajan, another disabled, said his children were deprived of education due to economic problems and he was unable to find work.

“Disabled people are always anxious. We just have to live our lives. We demand that we should be provided jobs that will solve our economic problems”: Mirajan added.

Some other disabled people sought vocational and professional education.

Officials assured they have done a lot to address the problems of people with disabilities.

Head of Martyrs and Disabled Affairs Maulvi Abdul Rahim Ehsan told Pajhwok occasionally, they referred disabled people to Kabul for vocational and professional training on a quota basis.

“The center gives us quota, we introduce people according to it and they undergo vocational trainings there, so we have demanded this project should be transferred to Khost province because there are a lot of disabled people here”: he explained.

According to him, they have registered more than 6,000 disabled people, each of whom is paid monthly allowance on time.

Additionally, disabled people in other provinces are facing various problems and are demanding that they be addressed.

hz/ma