Strong Decision

 Written by: Hesamuddin Hamdard

December 3rd is the international day of disabled persons. Afghanistan is also a war-torn country that has a number of disabling and defective persons. The decision to work is not only for healthy people but also for those who have lost an organ of their body.

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to Farzana, a resident of Qarabagh district, Ghazni province who is paralyzed in legs.

Farzana says: “I have completed high school and due to my disability, I could not continue my high education. I was a refugee in a neighboring country and when I was a small girl, I learned knitting with one of our neighbors. As my family had economic problems and I was paralyzed, I decided to find some activities to help my family and I could complete my high education. Now I sew the wedding bed set, TV covers, and handmade flowers which are all artificial.

I believe that humans are not incapable to work and if they have a strong decision, they could do anything they like. I also had a strong decision to work and I succeeded in my plan. Meanwhile, I am also a member of the Red Cross basketball team, and we have had several trips and we would be traveling to Indonesia next week.

A famous store of the city orders me and they prepare the raw materials and my mother bring them and after sewing, she gives them back to the store. I can prepare a full wedding bed set in 20 days and the price of each set is 4000-5000 Afghanis. I have almost solved my family economic problems and in the near future, I would start my high education.”

Bicycle Workshop:

Ghulam Haidar is a resident of Kabul city who has a bicycle workshop at the Seh Rahi Shah Shaheed, district 8, Kabul city. He says about his work to AEPO’s writer/producer: “In the past, I was a government official and as they do not pay me on time, I left my job and started peasantry but it did help me economically and then I decided to open a bicycle workshop.

At the beginning, I had a bicycle workshop in my village but as there were more bicycle workshops, I chose this place for the workshop that three roads are crossing here and many residents of the area are using bicycles. My daily income reaches 300-500 Afghanis.