Nabiullah Acts Older than His Years

In late November, a group of eight children between the ages of 2 and 10 arrived at our Kabul Surgical Centre. Nabiullah was among them, suffering from multiple shell injuries to his legs, feet, abdomen, and left hand.

Nabiullah’s family is from Sorabi, near Kabul. He is just 7 years old, but acts older. He stays home from school, helping earn money for his family and take care of his younger brothers. His father has been struggling to find a job for more than a year, so instead they collect metal and iron to sell.

On that fateful day in November, Nabiullah was one of a group of children collecting metal. When they found a device, they brought it to the Bazaar to sell. Nabiullah tried to open it with a rock and it exploded, injuring everyone standing close by.

After several surgeries, Nabiullah is now stable and recovering. He recently spoke to his mother on the phone, reassuring her: “Don’t worry, I’m OK. I have both my legs, just my fingers are gone.”

Our staff describe him as brave, and full of smiles and laughter.