MEHTARLAM (SW) – Women with hearing loss and vision impairment in Laghman are challenging the stigma surrounding disabilities, asserting that their conditions do not define their abilities.
In the city of Mihtarlam, the capital of Laghman, 22-year-old Wajiha, who has never experienced sight, passionately advocates for the capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
She emphasizes that having a disability does not equate to being unable. Instead, Wajiha believes that people with disabilities can receive education and find employment just like anyone else in society.
She says, “Individuals with visual impairments can work in all sectors if the opportunities are provided. If educational resources are accessible, they can learn. They can actively participate in society, and more attention should be given to visually impaired individuals.”
Wajiha, along with her two brothers and two sisters, all of whom are visually impaired, attends a special school for the visually impaired in Mihtarlam. She has been studying there for five years and has successfully learned Braille and mathematics. However, Wajiha expresses her frustration with the way some citizens treat people with different abilities. “When we weren’t attending school, we were often more discouraged in life. How can someone who can’t see anything remain hopeful? People don’t call us by nice names; instead, they simply call us ‘the blind,'” she said.
At the special school for visually impaired individuals, Fawzia, a 13-year-old girl who has never been able to hear, says that after joining this school, she has become proficient in sign language and now uses it to repeat lessons for her classmates.
Fawzia told Salam Watandar: “We were like caged birds at home, but when we came to school, we saw dozens of others like us, which gave us hope. Now, when I study, I feel very happy. I will finish the 12th grade, then go to university, become a doctor, and treat patients.”
Officials at the school for visually impaired individuals in Mihtarlam highlight that people with different abilities, especially those with hearing and sight impairments, also struggle with economic hardships.
They urge the de0facto government of the Islamic Emirate and aid organizations to increase their support to address the needs of people with disabilities.
Khan Saeedwal, the director of the school, tells Salam Watandar, “Although this is an issue that affects all of people, but individuals with disabilities face more significant economic struggles. I urge charitable organizations to pay special attention to their situation, as they have greater needs compared to able-bodied individuals.”
According to Mr. Saeedwal, the school employs 17 professional teachers to provide educational services to 184 boys and girls with hearing and vision impairment.
Meanwhile, Burhanuddin, the director of technical and vocational education in Laghman, states that efforts are being made to address the needs of people with disabilities in the province and to provide them with facilities.
“We are fully trying to resolve their issues, whether social or financial; we need to find solutions that will make life easier for them.”
Women with disabilities in Laghman are calling on the de-facto government to pay more attention to their situation and to create opportunities for vocational training and employment, allowing them to contribute to society.
