Posted By: Erica
When the dust settled, the southern half of Hazi Sharif’s home had collapsed. Four members of his family were dead as were another two women from his nephew’s family. Rokia, an elderly relative, was rushing to help other family members when the second bomb exploded nearby. When I visited Rokia she showed me the deep scars left by the shrapnel all along the left side of her body and on parts of her right leg. Her granddaughter, Sobhara, was with Rokia at the time and lost her right leg in the explosion.
“When the incident happened, the Americans announced ‘We are sorry, that was not our intention. Our intention was to hit the Taliban.'” Hazi Sharif told me, “When we heard this, what could we do? We had already lost everything. Mistakes happen but our family members had already lost their lives and [those who] were not killed, we could not get our lives back.”
ACAP first heard about Hazi’s family in the summer of 2007 and immediately began getting the funds approved and trying to find ways to help their family. To help pay for the family’s medical expenses and the reconstruction of their family home, Hazi Sharif started a construction supply business. ACAP does not provide monetary aid but instead was able to provide Hazi with cement and other construction materials that would help him expand his business. One of Hazi’s sisters, who also lost a leg in the bombing, was given an embroidery machine to help contribute to the family needs and start her own embroidery business.
Two other members of the extended family, Hazi Nabi and his brother, used to drive supply trucks but their trucks were destroyed in another bombardment and they could not afford to replace them. Instead they started a wood-chopping business. ACAP donated the necessary tools and supplies they needed to further grow their business. ACAP also donated a sewing machine and accessories to the women of the family and school materials for the children of the family
Photo of Members of Hazi Nabi’s family at the wood-cutting shop that ACAP helped him expand.
