Afghanistan: Physical rehabilitation programme leaflet 2024
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been at the forefront of humanitarian action in Afghanistan for decades, responding to the needs of people affected by armed conflict and violence across the country. One of its most vital and enduring initiatives is the Physical Rehabilitation Programme (PRP), which aims to restore mobility, dignity, and social integration of people with physical disabilities, including victims of mines and explosive remnants of war.
Afghanistan is unique and longstanding in the ICRC’s physical rehabilitation and social reintegration work. The ICRC began operating in the country in 1987, and since then our seven rehabilitation centers across the country have been treating hundreds of thousands of patients, many of whom are victims of landmines or armed conflicts.
In Afghanistan, the ICRC:
- Provides free prosthetic and orthotic devices, and physiotherapy assistance.
- Offers employment, vocational training, and interest-free micro-credit loan opportunities for people with disabilities within ICRC-run centers.
- Provides sports opportunities like wheelchair basketball and futsal.
- Works for the inclusion of people with disabilities within Afghan communities.
In 2024, the ICRC in Afghanistan assisted over 200,000 patients by providing them with prosthetics, orthotics, physiotherapy, wheelchairs, walking aids, and aids for daily living products. Behind each patient is a unique story.
Mehrnaz: A face that shines with hope:
After days of relentless rainfall, an old muddy wall in Mehrnaz’s home collapsed on her leg, crushing it beyond repair. The pain was sharp, but the deeper wounds were yet to come. At the time, Mehrnaz had no understanding of what it meant to live with a disability. She didn’t grasp how her world — once full of movement, play, and possibility — had suddenly changed.
Mehrnaz visited the ICRC’s physical rehabilitation centre in Faizabad, Badakhshan, and received a prosthesis. Today her life has taken a positive turn and for the first time, she can stand and walk on her own. Mehrnaz is now looking forward to running and playing with other children. With every step she takes, she moves forward on the path toward a brighter future.
Seeing Mehrnaz’s happy face makes all our efforts worthwhile,” says Husna Walizada, prostheses and orthoses technician in Faizabad.
Mehrnaz’s story is a symbol of hope and how physical rehabilitation can change a child’s life.
To learn more about the ICRC’s Physical Rehabilitation Programme and read the inspiring stories of our patients, please visit:
