My name is Qahir, and I am 41 years old. I lost my legs during the war in Afghanistan in 1996, in a village called Pol-E-Charkhi near Kabul.

This occurred during the first Taliban takeover when intense fighting broke out between different factions. I was hit by a tank bullet, resulting in the loss of my legs below the knee. I was approximately 14 years old at the time.

Two others were martyred: Azizollah and a 12-year-old boy. Another individual, Lajvard, was left with a disabled hand, and another, Zarif, had one of his legs amputated above the knee.

After being discharged from the hospital, I was in a very low place, having lost both of my legs and feeling hopeless. However, a friend of my father saw my condition and arranged for me to be taken to Jalalabad, where I joined an NGO called Aabrar. The ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) provided me with artificial legs.

After about a month of training at Aabrar, I received a bicycle (provided by the Aabrar club) and started participating in disabled cycling competitions each year. I also participated in various city sporting competitions, focusing on cycling. Aabrar club trained around 30 people with disabilities each month, and under the guidance of Dr Basir, who led the club, we gathered monthly for training. Once a year, Dr Basir would organise different championships for us to compete in.

For four to five years, I participated in various championships and emerged as a top cyclist in some disabled competitions. Eventually, after these years of success, Dr Basir introduced me to the Afghan Olympic Committee.

In 2004, I secured first place among participants from 34 provinces across Afghanistan during the national championship. This achievement led to my introduction to the Olympic team for the 2004 Paralympics in Greece.

I had opportunities to claim asylum before but chose not to. After being injured and hospitalised, I travelled to Germany in 2003, where I stayed for a while. From there, I went to Norway for a month. During my time in Norway, I met a couple who supported my cycling training.

After Norway, I went directly to Greece, where I was again offered the chance to claim asylum. Despite these opportunities in 2003 and earlier, I chose not to take them—a decision I later deeply regretted.

My life took an unfortunate turn at a very young age, particularly during the first Taliban takeover. The Taliban returned in 2021, and from 2022, when I was coaching women Paralympic members in shooting in Afghanistan until just before I came to the UK, I was under their threat and was beaten by them during this time. They accused me of coaching disabled women in shooting.

Three months ago, I made my first attempt to join the Paralympics. A kind philanthropist, Laura Bishop, greatly helped me by providing a bicycle through the London Bike Project. She has always shown compassion during my difficult times, and I am deeply grateful for her support. My ultimate goal and dream are to join the UK Paralympic team.

Migrant Help has provided exceptional support, for which I am truly grateful. However, I believe more assistance should be available for those with special needs, such as pregnant women and individuals with disabilities. As vulnerable members of society, it’s clear that we require additional help and resources.