Dutch officer works to improve disabled Afghan's quality of life

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

04.02.2011

Courtesy Story

NATO Training Mission Afghanistan

By: Tech. Sgt. April Lapetoda
NTM-A Public Affairs

KABUL - NATO troops walking in the Green Zone-area of Kabul between Camp Eggers and International Security Assistance Force Headquarters have become accustomed to speaking with and waving to locals in the area.

Many of the local children are eager to speak English, which they learn in school. While others also volunteer to escort troops between the compounds and walk side-by-side with their NATO friends.

One young man who stands out to many walking between the camps is Hamed Ghafoor.

Hamed is disabled and doesn't have use of his legs. He lays on a small, three-wheel cart, which sits about six inches off the ground with his legs folded under his chest and pushes himself around using his hands.

One Dutch officer saw this and looked to himself and his home country to see how he could make a change.

"Kabul is not a city where it's easy to get about, especially the way Hamed has been doing with his little cart," said Netherlands Army Maj. Edwin Kok, who is assigned to NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan as a strategic planner. "I felt sorry for him moving around on his little cart. Using his hand with a shoe on it to propel his body cannot be good for his body."

He requested assistance from a Dutch couple who assist in providing healthcare aid and they reached out to several more people. One healthcare company donated a wheelchair and another made a hand-bike out of it.

After three months of work, a hand-bicycle chair was ready for Hamed.

The Dutch Air Force flew the chair to the United Arab Emirates and it was then transported to Afghanistan.

After the chair arrived to Camp Eggers, Kok and Netherlands Navy Capt. Boudewijn Boots, Dutch senior national representative, escorted Hamed onto the compound for a small ceremony during which he and the NTM-A Chief of Staff, Royal Marines Brig. Mark W. Dunham, presented Hamed the new chair.

The presentation of the chair was planned as a small event, but as word spread around Camp Eggers a crowd of more than 100 grew around the flag poles, April 2, 2011.

Hamed pushed himself to the flagpoles, where Dunham, Boots and Kok unveiled the new hand-crank chair. His eyes lit up, he saluted the three NATO officers and gave a thumbs up to the crowd, which then erupted in applause.

"I'm not happy with this disabled life," said Hamed, as he addressed the crowd through a translator. "But, today I am overcome with joy in what you have done for me. Thank you."

Hamed's next challenge will be to learn to use the hand- bicycle chair, which Kok provided guidance on.

Before leaving Camp Eggers together, Kok explained how to use the crank in a circular motion to propel forward and to push the wheels backward to brake.

Hamed adapted quickly and wheeled himself down the street.

"I hope it provides some more freedom for him to get about, maybe even assist in him finding a job or at least meeting other people," said Kok.

It should help improve his quality of life. This should make him more mobile."

• Date Taken: 04.02.2011
• Date Posted: 04.02.2011 08:05
• Story ID: 68142
• Location: KABUL, AF