In the eighth grade classroom where rankings matter more than recess games, Arif sits at the front because the top student always occupies that seat. His fingers, once hesitant against brittle bones, now move confidently across notebooks, solving equations that his classmates find baffling.
At fourteen, Arif’s calendar contains two recurring appointments: annual surgeries to strengthen his legs and daily study sessions where he strengthens minds—both his own and increasingly those of his peers. While his body undergoes medical interventions, his intellect requires no such correction.
“The classroom is where legs don’t matter,” Arif remarks with the simple clarity that makes his teachers take notice. “Here, only thoughts need to move quickly.”
His father’s small shop provides modest means; his mother’s unwavering support provides boundless confidence. Somewhere in between, Arif carved out his identity as the student whose raised hand became so familiar that teachers sometimes skip calling on him to give others a chance.
When Arif first joined the JF-FS-CPiE Project adolescent club after school hours, he was hunting for books, conversations, and the intellectual playground his physical limitations had never permitted him to find elsewhere. The colorful walls and shelves of learning materials weren’t compensation for what he lacked—they were tools for what he could create. Stepping into the center, he was captivated by the books, vibrant walls, and diverse learning opportunities. For the first time, he felt truly included.
Arif shared, “Before becoming part of the project, I knew very little about child safety, disability rights, and I had only a few friends. I often felt lonely in the afternoons because I couldn’t join others in play,” he said. “But after joining JF-FS&CPiE, my confidence has grown, and now I have many friends to play with.”
The adolescent club at Ratnapalong became another classroom where Arif could excel. Knowledge about child protection, gender issues, and disability rights didn’t simply flow into him—it flowed through him to others. The boy who once hesitated to speak now leads discussions, his voice gaining strength without a single medical intervention.
His mother dreams big: “Arif is a blessing to our family. One day, he will become an engineer and support us with pride and hope.”
His classmates don’t see crutches when they look at him. “To us, he’s just Arif—one of us and an inspiration,” they say. “He explains complex problems in simple ways. We’re proud of him because he’s earned it.”
In a world quick to measure limitations, Arif measures possibilities instead. His collaboration with JF-FS&CPiE isn’t about fixing what’s broken—it’s about building what’s possible when communities recognize that strength comes in many forms.
Arif doesn’t need someone to carry him up the academic ladder. He climbs it rung by rung, pausing only to help others find their footing. His hands, after all, have always been perfectly strong—strong enough to hold chalk, to raise in classrooms, and to pull others up alongside him.
This publication was produced with the financial support of the German Humanitarian Assistance
Its contents are the sole responsibility of Joining Forces and do not necessarily reflect the views of the German Humanitarian Assistance.