Cured addicts graduate from vocational training in Kabul

KABUL (Pajhwok): Vocational training for nearly 800 drug addicts has begun in Omidtreatment center in Kabul under the auspices of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

According to MoLSA, the graduates received a four–month training in five fields — shoemaking, bag-making, tailoring, and construction electricity — as part of their rehabilitation process.

At the graduation ceremony, MawlawiMohammad Zahid Ahmadzai, Deputy Minister, said those who had once been isolated from their families and society had now completed both treatment and professional training, enabling them to return to normal life.

“These individuals, after proper treatment, made efforts to learn skills, and today we witness the result — around 800 graduates from five different professions who will now serve their communities as skilled workers and support their families responsibly,” he added.

Meanwhile, Qari Abdul Baqi Khairkhwah, a representative of the Counter-Narcotics Department ofthe Ministry of Interior (MoI), called the graduates’ success “an achievement and a message” that with determination, effort, and faith, every challenge could be overcome.

He urged the graduates to preserve their progress and uphold Islamic ethics as they reintegrate into society.

Speaking on behalf of families, Ghazi Gul, a resident of Ghaziabad district in Kunar, thanked the Islamic Emirate, particularly the MoLSA, for creating opportunities for those once rejected by society to receive both treatment and vocational education.

Among the graduates, Rahimuddin from Laghman — who trained in electrical work — explained he had been addicted for over 35 years but was motivated by friends to seek treatment.

Another graduate, Abdul Malik, who struggled with addiction for eight years, said he now hoped to rebuild his life and never return to drugs again.

According to officials, so far around 9,000 addicts have been treated and graduated from vocational training programs at the OmidCenter.

hz/ma