Eight disabled children of a family study for better future

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Eight children of a family who lost their limbs in a mortar shell explosion in Khogyani district of eastern Nangarhar province have turned to education in a bid to get rid of the hardships of life.

The eight children were injured in a blast caused by an unexploded shell about four years ago. One of the children found the unexploded shell and he wanted to sell it, but it exploded, killing a woman and two children and injuring eight other children of the family.

Rabia is the youngest among the disabled children. She was two years old when her mother was killed in the blast, depriving her of mother’s warmth lap forever. She lost a leg in the incident. Rabia’s four uncles, one aunt and two cousins ​​were disabled in the incident.

Rabia, now six years old, said she wanted to become a doctor in order to treat people injured like her.

Another disabled child, Farhad, told Pajhwok he did not give up to the hardships of life and through education he was trying to have a better future.

He said: “We have no other difficulty but our bodies ache in winter due to cold. Our family cannot afford our basic treatment. We only use pills.”

The family urged the government to issue assistance cards for disabled people to their children in order to enable them to receive treatment, education and meet other needs.

Hamisha Gul, head of the family, said they left their village and moved to Chamtali area of Khogyani district to improve the lives of children. He said he was trying to support the children to study.

“There were clashes in our village, so we migrated here in order to be safe from wars and my children can get education. The elder boy, besides education, is also learning tailoring”.

Gul said his four sons, one daughter, one granddaughter and two nephews were injured in the mortar shell blast. He said his whole family was trying to educate the children and save them from poverty in future.

He said: “Initially we were hopeless, then an organization made artificial legs for all our children. A trader, may God bless him, pays salary to a teacher who comes here and teaches all the children. The children are sent to school only at the time of exams.”

The father urged aid giving organizations, the government and rich people to support him in education of his children.

Nangarhar Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled department officials say the process to make cards for disabled people has been expedited and their distribution will be started soon.

Maulvi Lalbaz Asadullah, the department director, said in the past corruption marred the process of giving privileges to disabled people and families of martyrs. He said the cards would be distributed in a transparent manner.

Thousands of people around the country have been disabled in recent wars and explosions.

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