From Cowley Road to Kabul 4: V.I.P. in Afghanistan

“Visual impairment is neither a shame nor an honour: it is simply a limitation.”  These words were spoken by Mahdi, the deputy director of Rehabilitation Services for the Blind in Afghanistan, whom we met in Kabul.  As a visually impaired person myself, I had contacted Hakim before our journey, to ask if it would be possible to meet some visually impaired people and find out what kind of services existed for them in Afghanistan.  One of he APV set up the meeting and on our first Saturday in Kabul we set off in taxis to visit the project.  Mahdi and his co worker, Yacubi, are also themselves visually impaired.

During our visit we learnt that the project provides skills for children who are visually impaired.  Unfortunately the workers are able to help only a percentage of those who are registered with them, due to scarce funding.  Advocacy is also one of the aims of the project and we were told that International White Cane Day, 15 Octobr, gives an opportunity for raising awareness of issues surrounding visually impaired people.  The problems are many and, given the enormous difficulties of life for all Afghans, life for the huge number of people with disabilities is even more challenging.  Blindness and partial sight, as with other disabilities, are caused by a number of factors; hereditary, accidents, preventable diseases and, of course, war.  We also visited other projects specifically concrned with disability.

At the end of our visit we met a class of children learning braille.  They read to us and sang for us and Hakim made a short video about our visit, which contained a moving message from Mahdi at the end.  In his message he stresses our common humanity and speaks of the need for all peoples to live in peace, love and kindness in order to make a better world.  You’ll find the video on YouTube, along with several others about the APV.  Type

ourjourneytosmile

in the search box on YouTube.

As a visually impaired person myself, I had to consider, before deciding to be part of the delegation, whether or not my disability would be a hindrance to the group.  I needed help during our journey from Heathrow to Kabul and back, and this was willingly offered by my travelling companions.  Once in Kabul, various members of the APV took care of me and I was helped and guided during our trips to visit various projects.  In the house, too, I was really aware that the boys were looking out for me and ensuring that I found my way safely to where I needed to be.  One fruit of my disability has been the three articles I have written for this journal.  Deprived of my accustomed aids to reading and writing, I was unable to make notes but had to store everything in my head to be retrieved as soon as I was united to my computer.  We returned just ovr two weeks ago and it has been imperative that I set things down while they are still fresh.

One memory will never leave me.  The woman who teaches sewing to the group of women making duvets, asked Hakim what faith I had and if I believed in prayer.  She asked for some Muslim prayer beads but as non could be found she produced pen and paper.  Standing near me she began to pray softly, marking down the prayers she said on her paper.  This went on in the living room for several minutes and as her prayr progressed I became fully aware of the beauty and sacredness of the moment.  Here we were, two women of different nations, cultures, languages and faith, united in prayer to the one God in whom we both believed  Our delegation had been advised to keep off any reference to faith matters in case rumours sprang up about the possibility that we might be there to evangelise.  In offering to pray with me, my new Muslim friend dissolved the boundaries between us.  Tashakur!  Thank you!