landmine-victims become bike messengers in kabul
14 years ago, yussuf lost his lower leg due to an exploding land-mine. there are actually no jobs in kabul for disabled peolpe like him. now he has a new chance. he is a bicycle courier in this jammed city.
yussuf has eleven kids to take care of, and only three of them are married and out the house yet. with two jobs he earns the money he needs to buy food for his family: out on the streets, he helps people to do the paperwork, he fills out formulars for those who can't write, for those who are otherwise unable to get money from the state. he helps orphans, land-mine-victims and war-widows for little money. his second job as bike courier is the one to secure his income in the long term.
time becomes money
yussufs opportunity is made out of a cell phone and a modern bike (thats what the reporter says, in fact it's a pretty old school mountain bike, but it works). kabul is on it's way to normality, the price to pay are traffic jams and chaos. bicycle couriers keep on going, even when the streets kabul are totally congested. they deliver letters and small packages from A to B. their service is most often used by charity-organizations. the project is financed with money from germany, the goal is to create new jobs for amputees. the company is still in the non-profit-zone, but with the upcoming normality, the jobs come as well. companys are being founded, deliveries gain importance, time becomes money and the talk about the messenger service is getting around.
a mobile phone and nothing to eat
you can't tell that the couriers are disabled. riding a bike is not a problem for them, the only thing they feel uncomfotable about is the summer. as it gets hot, they have to face problemswith their protheses, the stubs are very sensitive to inflammation. the men are happy to be able to earn some money: "the courier job makes me feel like being able to work like anyone else".
yussuf is 70 years old and he is pedaling against the fate. with his two jobs, he has a monthly income of about 70 euros. his doughters still think that it is strange that their dad has got a cell phone, although they have almost nothiong to eat. yussuf jumps up in his room as the phone rings: maybe it's a delivery?! this time it is only the boss, checking if yussuf is ready to go. the cycle courier of kabul could have started, the jobs may come!