AOAD Success Stories
Moving forward with trust in my abilities and hopes
The decades of war in Afghanistan left many challenges including mine and explosive materials and still threaten the lives of people. Mr. Shafiqullah 29 years old, like a thousand Afghan people affected by the mine explosion, loosed 3 fingers of his left hand and one finger of his right hand. Mr. Shafiqullah is living in a small village of Paghaman a southern district of Kabul province, he explained the explosion of a mine in which he lost his fingers, he added, I was 7 years old, which I lost my fingers in a mine explosion during the play, after that incident, I become alone and isolated from a friend, family, and society. It was very difficult for a child to face this shocking incident, and all hope died for me.
During my childhood, my family took care of me but once I become young, I depressed day by day, he said: “My eyes were looking to everyone’s help. I spend a lot of time at home and alone, beside of my disability pulling pranks and looking down on people with disabilities is another challenge against my engagement in society”
A ray of hope comes to Shafiqullah’s life when he hears about AOAD vocational training center in the Paghman district funded by DRC. Shafiqullah enrolled in the general electrician class, attended 11 months of practical and theoretical sessions, and finally graduated as a skilled person and engaged in society as an active member of social affairs.
Mr. Shafiqullah received a tool kit of general electrician which helped him in the running of a small business or enterprise, this support enhanced his sense of success and decide to open a shop he further added “by learning vocational skills my, self-confidence increased day by day and I encourage to be an active member of community to play a vital role in the development of my community and to advocate for the right of peoples including person with disability” he said after graduation I opened a shop by the name of Brathran Arab Zada workshop in the Paghman district of Kabul province near the Maula Izzat house currently Mr. Shafiqullah has a small enterprise which provide services to the citizen and play a role in the economic development of community, Mr. Sahifqullah said today I am proud on myself and my family members impressed by my skills and ability, this shop facilitate job opportunity for 2 person with disability including himself and my co-worker Mr. Naseratullah, he further added “my income is sufficient for myself my core family members and my parents and my coworker as well, as result of our skills we are supporting our family and we play a vital role in our community economic cycle”.
