Success Stories

Success Stories

Muhammad Bilal is a young polio sufferer. His muscles are tight and his left leg is affected. He was identified by SATH volunteers, and began receiving therapy regularly from the age of twelve. He was used to visit us independently using crutches as he lives close to the SATH office. Bilal’s condition gradually improved. He is now doing his matriculation through a distance learning program and working in a factory to help his family. Bilal received support for 8 years and remains an active member of SATH.

Huma Khalid was a wheelchair using teacher and artist who also had polio. She worked in a child friendly school run by SATH building children’s basic reading and writing skills. She was also a key part of our handicraft initiatives, making cards and designing T-shirts and wallets.

Both Huma and Rashid died while struggling for the rights and rehabilitation of the handicapped in Pakistan. We think of them as a hero and heroine of SATH who contributed so much to our awareness raising activities through their singing, acting, art work and organization skills. It seemed hugely significant to us that Rashid’s death in 2011 came on 3^rd December, the day when the world marks the International Day of the PWDs.

Rashid Razzaq never let himself being held back by his disability. He initiated a mobile library in Toba Tek Singh and SATH supported his vision by providing him with a bicycle, books on various issues and training. Rashid was hugely active and a regular visitor in the city and its nearby villages. As people borrowed books from him he inspired them by demonstrating how his disability was not preventing him from serving the community.

Rashid was also a gifted member of our interactive theatre team, which uses drama to provide community education on important social issues. He gave some excellent performances highlighting issues of disability, peace, women’s rights and the challenges facing the 2005 earthquake victims in northern areas of Pakistan.