Bicycle Rehabilitation
Program
AABRAR has implemented a Bicycle Rehabilitation Program for disabled
men and boys to teach them how to ride and repair bicycles according
to their individual disabilities. The bicycle is the most common mode
of transportation in Afghanistan. Most people are too poor to afford
cars of taxis, and the public transportation system does not provided
adequate access to many areas. Many disabled people are isolated due
to the associated problems of mobility which comes with disability.
This hinders them from working and leading a normal life. Teaching
disabled people to ride bicycles helps to improve their physical mobility,
increases their participation in all aspects of life, and strengthens
their independence and self confidence.
Men and boys travel to AABRAR’s centers in Kabul and Jalalabad
to receive this training from their homes in the city and in the provinces.
Those who cannot commute home are housed in our hostel for the training
which lasts for one month. During this training program trainees also
receive literacy and numeracy training. In addition, this program
includes physiotherapy and medical treatment, and offers health education,
mine awareness, and first aid training to all participants. Various
sporting activities such as volley ball are also taught in this program;
this encourages recreation while improving mobility. These services
help to improve the health and general well being of trainees, and
provide a comprehensive rehabilitation program.
After the completion of this program, graduates are given a bicycle
and certificate and return to their homes. Adult trainees use their
bicycles to ride to work and many use their bicycles to start up mobile
businesses, such as the selling of balloons or food. Boys use their
bicycles to ride to school. Many children in rural areas are hindered
from attending school due to their mobility problems; this program
helps to improve their access to education through providing a supportive
transition back to school through literacy and numeracy classes and
measures to increase confidence.
Unfortunately, it remains culturally inappropriate for women to ride
bicycles. AABRAR is working to change these community attitudes, and
would like to open this program to women in the near future.
Disabled Cyclist Messenger
Service (DCMS)
Lack of assess to employment opportunities is one of the biggest problems
facing disabled people in Afghanistan. In October 2002, AABRAR implemented
a Disabled Cyclists Messenger Service (DCMS) in the city of Kabul,
to create employment for disabled people. AABRAR has employed 14 disabled
men as full time couriers for DCMS to deliver parcels and food for
businesses and restaurants. Over the last few years AABRAR, has significantly
increased the cliental of this service. A recent contract with the
UN for the contracting of private messengers has also provided additional
employment for disabled people. DCMS is the only cyclist messenger
service in Kabul and provides an excellent solution to Kabul’s
traffic problem. Thus, as well as securing employment for disabled
people, DCMS also aids Afghanistan’s infrastructure by providing
a fast and reliable messenger service in Kabul.
DCMS has received continued financial support from German Development
Services (Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst - DED).
Vocational Training
Programs
Many disabled Afghan people claim that their economic problems
are among the greatest difficulties they face. Many say that if they
had jobs they would be active, would be able to contribute financially
to their families, and would not be at home focusing on their disabilities.
AABRAR has implemented a number of vocational training courses that
are primarily geared towards assisting disabled women and girls to
gain the skills needed to earn a livelihood. AABRAR runs a 6 month
training course to teach disabled women and girls the traditional
Afghan arts of tailoring and embroidery. At the end of this training
program, graduates receive a sewing machine and materials so they
can practice the skills they have learned. Many women go on to gain
income by making clothes for their neighborhoods, gain employment
as tailors, or become tailing instructors with other organizations.
In order to create job opportunities for disabled women, AABRAR has
established a tailoring center in Kabul in which 15 women have gained
full time employment as tailors, filling orders made to AABRAR.
In April 2004, AABRAR started a 3 month ball making vocational
training program in Kabul. This course trains disabled and marginalized
women, such as widows, in football, rugby ball, and volley ball
making. When women have completed this course, they are supplied
with raw materials and work from their homes to fill orders. These
balls are high quality and inexpensive, and can be purchased over
our website.
Men and women from vulnerable groups also participate in flower
making and carpet weaving vocational training courses.
AABRAR has recently introduced a job search and business training
component to all its vocational training courses. A labor market
officer has been hired to train beneficiaries in these areas and
establish employment networks with the market to ensure that these
courses will lead to employment. All of AABRAR’s vocational
training programs also include physiotherapy, mine-awareness, literacy,
numeracy, health education, and first aid training for all participants
to improve health and maximise their socio-economic integration.
For many female trainees, these programs are the first opportunity
women have to leave their houses. Women enjoy sitting together and
talking, in which this program also forms an important support network
for women. Many women say that when they have learned skills and
are able to work they no longer see themselves as disabled.
Supporting Disabled
Sport
AABRAR encourages recreation through volleyball tournaments
and its annual bicycle race which draws over 200 participants. These
events also raise social awareness of disability within Afghanistan
and display the tremendous physical and emotional strength of disabled
peoples.
AABRAR has always played an active role in raising the profile
of disabled Afghan people internationally. In 1994, disabled cyclists
were sent to Pakistan to participate in the Golden Jubilee Cycle
Race. AABRAR has sent teams of disabled people to participate in
the Cycle Messenger World Championships (CMWC) in London in 1994,
in Canada in 1995, in San Francisco in 1996, and in Barcelona in
1997. In 1996 disabled cyclists were also sent from AABRAR to participate
in the Paralympics games in Atlanta USA. Most recently, in 2003
AABRAR sent disabled messengers to Germany to participate in ‘a
Cycling for Peace’ event and a mine awareness exhibition.
This year Afghanistan was able to send two athletes to the 2004
Paralympic Games in Athens on a wild card. National trials were
held in Kabul Stadium on the 15th of May 2004 in the fields of cycling
and athletics. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) selected
the top two athletes based on the competitors’ disability
classifications and trial times. The athletes who attended the games
were both from AABRAR. Marina Karim is 14 year old and has a forefoot
amputation; she participated in the 100 meter running event. Qaher
Hazrat is 22 years old and is a messenger with AABRAR’s DCMS;
he is a double leg below knee amputee as a result of a land mine
accident which occurred when he was 14 years old. Qaher participated
in the 50 km cycling event.
This was the first time Afghanistan has sent as official team to
participate in the Paralympic Games. We are very proud of both our
athletes for their achievements. Please see the article below for
more information about the athletes and their preparation for the
games.
Read more…
‘Daley’ Magazine and Television
Drama
AABRAR is also concerned with the social aspects of rehabilitation
and integration. Twenty-three years of war has not only destroyed
the economic system of Afghanistan, but has also damaged its social
fabric and eroded many cultural values. The scars of religious fanaticism
can be seen in all aspects of life; particularly in relation to
women’s participation and visibility in the public sphere.
This turbulent past has seen an entire generation grow up in war.
As a result, Afghanistan lacks many of the processes and structures
that allow for democracy, peace, stability and the sanctioning of
human rights. While the reconstruction of Afghanistan’s economic
and civil structures are taking place, attention needs to be paid
to the social development of Afghanistan.
AABRAR’s cultural department works towards reconciling Afghanistan’s
fragmented past whilst creating awareness and empathy of the experiences
of different vulnerable groups, while working within Afghanistan’s
cultural context. Many of AABRAR’s trainees say that how the
community sees them and treats them as disabled is the most painful
part of living with their disability. They want people to know they
can make a positive contribution and want to work alongside able
bodied people and not be seen as disabled. AABRAR endeavors to dispel
negative attitudes towards disabled people in Afghanistan through
its television dramas and quarterly magazine ‘Daley’,
both of which deal with disability issues in the context of Afghanistan.
AABRAR’s cultural department consists of a collaboration
of writers, directors, actors, and artistic Afghans that will write,
film, direct, produce and distribute TV dramas, and compile magazines
which address serious issues through an entertaining and involving
format. While these initiatives address themes pertinent to Afghanistan’s
social development, they also provide light hearted relief from
the harshness of people’s daily lives.
PHYSIOTHERAPY
AND HEALTH CARE CLINIC
AABRAR has a physiotherapy department and a health care clinic in
Kabul and Jalalabad. These facilities are available to all AABRAR’s
female and male beneficiaries as well as past graduates.
NUMERACY & LITERACY
CLASSES
As part of AABRAR’s holistic approach to rehabilitation, AABRAR
offers numeracy and literacy classes to all the beneficiaries of
all its programs. The majority of the beneficiaries who attend these
programs cannot read or write when they enroll. Teaching these skills
- to even a basic level - helps trainees to gain employment, to
run business ventures, and makes daily life easier. Many trainees
continue to build on the skills they have learned from AABRAR by
going to other learning centers when they have finished the program.
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