Muhammad’s Journey with Displacement and Walking Again
My name is Muhammad Naji Awaid. I am 60 years old, and I live in
the coastal city of Al-Mokha in Yemen’s Taiz governorate. I was living a normal
life with my wife and children. I had a modest house and I worked in
construction for a daily wage of USD 20; prices for goods were cheap, and life
was stable.
But when the conflict broke out in our country, my family and I
were forced to flee our home and move around between different displacement
camps. Our lives had changed completely, and I struggled to find any kind of
work to support us all.
One day, I was out looking for work, and while I was walking, the
ground underneath my feet exploded – I had stepped on a landmine! I was unconscious
and bleeding on the ground for hours and was close to losing my life when a
passing farmer found me and informed some people living in the area that I
needed urgent help.
When I arrived at the hospital, my health condition was very dire
because of the amount of blood I had lost. After the doctors provided emergency
interventions, they decided that the only way to possibly save my life was to amputate
one of my feet. I remained unconscious and in a coma for a week due to
complications caused by the extreme blood loss, but eventually, my condition
began to improve. When I woke up, I was very sad and worried when I realized
that I had lost my foot. How would I ever be able to work again to provide for
my children?
My life stopped completely after the incident. For a whole year, I
spent my days lying in bed in a shelter made of straw – unemployed, my seven
children there with me. We were really in a very difficult, almost hopeless
situation, until one day, one of my neighbors told me about KSrelief’s
Artificial Limbs Center. He said that the center would take care of all
transportation expenses to and from Taiz, and would also provide free housing
and food. They would also, I learned, provide me with an artificial limb free
of charge!
As I traveled to Taiz, I felt hopeful for the first time since I
was injured. When I arrived at the center, the medical team went right to work,
taking measurements for my new prosthetic device and assembling it right there
at the facility. I had never expected to be able to stand on my own again, and
this was like a miracle to me! When I first started to use the prosthetic,
movement was difficult, but with the center’s rehabilitation specialists
working with me, I was soon able to walk again! I am very happy now, because I
have my life back, and am so very grateful for the help I’ve received.