Rising From The Rubble: A Survivor’s Story of Hope and Resilience
In the heart of Zindajan district, Herat province is a village named Karnil with a vibrant farming community. One of these farmers is Rafi*, a 24-year-old who, like his neighbours, earns a livelihood from the land, supporting a family of nine. This family includes seven sisters, his mother, and himself.
On October 7 2023, the unthinkable happened: a catastrophic earthquake shook their quiet village to its core. Rafi was working on his land near their home when the ground trembled and roared. A deafening sound filled the air, and he was thrown helplessly into a corner. Amid the chaos, he lost consciousness, surrounded by a cloud of dust as if an explosion had torn through their world. Dazed and disoriented, Rafi rose to his feet and raced towards his home.
Arriving at the scene, he saw a gut-wrenching sight. Their house had crumbled into a pile of rubble, and their possessions lay in ruins. Three of his sisters and his mother were trapped in the courtyard, with debris covering half of their bodies. With every ounce of strength, Rafi managed to rescue them from the wreckage. However, his younger sister, trapped in a room during the quake, did not survive.
Shortly after the disaster, a rescue team reached their village, recovering Rafi’s younger sister’s lifeless body and providing immediate medical attention to his other sisters. Outside during the earthquake, they had been spared physical harm, but the emotional scars ran deep. Fear gripped them, and sleep remained elusive in the nights that followed. The ordeal also left an indelible mark on their mother, who often cried out, “Earthquake, earthquake!” during her restless nights.
In response to the dire psychological and emotional aftermath of the earthquake, the International Assistance Mission (IAM) assembled a mobile team in the region, offering hope to Rafi’s family and others in their situation. This team referred Rafi’s mother and sisters to the regional clinic. In the Mental Health department, IAM provided them with essential psychological support and valuable emergency management knowledge. Professional counselling soon followed, leading to remarkable progress in the well-being of Rafi’s sisters and mother. Medication prescribed for his mother also played a pivotal role, allowing her to find solace in peaceful sleep. His sisters’ constant fear and tears began to wane as they transformed into pillars of strength for their grieving mother.
Despite the enduring fear and sorrow stemming from the earthquake and the loss of their cherished sister, they found solace in the support of humanitarian organisations, notably IAM. The doctors and counsellors from IAM stood by them, expressing empathy and sympathy for their loss.
Rafi’s story embodies the strength and resilience of a community tested to its limits. Though they had lost everything they held dear, Rafi expressed his gratitude for the support of these compassionate organisations. He hopes these vital services will continue to be a source of relief in their village, guiding them through these trying times and helping them regain their sense of normalcy.
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*Name changed to protect individuals privacy.