SUCCESS STORY

Sadafmo was provided with the first aid in the nearest medical facility, but it took 12 hours to transport Sadafmo to the central regional hospital where she underwent a below-knee amputation. Due to complications following the surgery, including infection, Sadafmo had four more surgeries in the 10-month period after that accident. The last surgery took place at the main hospital in Tajikistan’s capital of Dushanbe, resulting in an above-knee amputation.

Sadafmo received her first prosthesis in the Baku orthopedic center. Since then, when needed, she receives replacement of prostheses free of charge in Dushanbe’s National orthopedic center (NOC). In 2017- 2018 NOC’s Prosthetic-Orthotic technicians passed on the job training organized by the US-based NGO “Polus Center” with US DoS support and they are now providing quality services to landmine survivors and other persons with amputees.

Sadafmo’s fellow villagers have never treated her negatively due to her disability. “My neighbors understand my hard life, and they behave with respect to me and perceive me as an independent and strong person,” Sadafmo says. However, after getting married, Sadafmo and her husband experienced strain in their relationship due to her disability. As time moved on, financial stress mounted for Sadafmo's husband, and he felt pressure from his family to divorce her. Seven months into Sadafmo's pregnancy, he left, cutting off all support to her and their son. Despite these hardships, Sadafmo’s family remained especially accommodating and supportive.

She returned to her parents’ two-room house where she lives with her son, parents, two sisters and her brother’s family. With her family’s support (mostly from her parents), she delivered and raised her son. 

In the midst of these life-changing events, Sadafmo became very depressed, even talking to her family about suicide. She later participated several times in the summer rehabilitation workshops activities organized by the Tajikistan National Mine Action Center with USDoS financial support, where she received physical and psychosocial rehabilitation and met new friends. After individual and group psychology sessions and art therapy, she regained a positive outlook on her life. Meetings and roundtables with representatives of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population taught her about rights of persons with disabilities, degrees of disability, pensions and privileges.

TNMAC also mobilized resources from a private donor to provide Sadafmo with a new sewing machine. She received business training from a Special Boarding School for Young Persons with Disabilities in Dushanbe where she attended essential six-month training course in 2007 and in addition, she was retrained a three-month dressmaking training course organized by the Association for Aid and Relief in 2010. By socializing with other students Sadafmo alleviated her depression and regained her confidence. Here, she learned she wasn’t the only mine victim and found peers also in need of support. Sadafmo tailors custom-designed women dresswear for neighbors in her community and she also creates clothing using national embroidery patterns. She specializes in napkins, pillowcases, bed sheets and dresses Tajik women usually wear at home and in public.

Sadafmo actively participated in the Mine Action events: International Campaign to Ban Landmines 2007 workshop held in Dushanbe, Dushanbe’s 2009 Regional Workshop, and other victim assistance workshops and advocacy events organized by TNMAC. In addition, Sadafmo participated as an observer in the Tajikistan delegation at the Cartagena Summit on a Mine-Free World in December 2009. There, she learned how the States Parties made extensive progress to assist victims and meet the survivor assistance challenges common to all mine-affected countries. Her participation in these events invigorated her to make a personal contribution. During the victim-assistance parallel sessions, she told her story and answered questions regarding her challenges.

Her son helps her with house work that is difficult for her, such as collecting water from the river, purchasing products from the market and gathering wood. Sadafmo says “Getting profession gave me a chance to increase my income”. Now she can support her economic needs and reduce her social vulnerability. Her self-esteem has increased, and she has started to look toward the future with hope and enthusiasm. She provides peer support to other landmine survivors and persons with disabilities who are in need of support.

Sadafmo continues her active participation in the Mine Action events organized by TNMAC with USDoS financial support - Technical Working Group meetings, International Day of Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action and Summer Rehabilitation workshops. Her aspirations now are to continue her dressmaking business and stay active in TNMAC events devoted to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
For example, in 2020 Sadafmo participated in two events organized by the Government Institution “Tajikistan National Mine Action Center” (TNMAC) with support of US Department of State: Victim Assistance Technical Working Group meeting in Kulyab city and the International Day of Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. She made inspiring speeches for participants and gave interview to mass media – she told the story of her life and how she regained her positive outlook despite of getting mine injury. Sadafmo says “It is very important to feel that I am part of society, participating in all Mine Action and Disability related events in accordance with the slogan “Nothing about us without us”.