Abdul Majid took the risk of removing a landmine himself

When we returned home, the children immediately started running around outside again. After years of living isolated in camps, they finally felt free. They played among destroyed houses, dirt roads, and empty fields that used to be familiar to us before the war.

We thought the main danger was over

People kept saying the area was still contaminated by explosive ordnance, but after surviving missiles, rockets, and years of displacement, we wanted to believe the worst was behind us.

One morning, I heard that there were still landmines and bomb remnants near the village where families had begun returning. So I decided to go to the land and see if I could help remove them. I was not trained. I did not know what I was doing.

Nobody joined me, but I thought that people here could not wait forever for help while living surrounded by danger.

I tried to remove one of the landmines myself. I do not remember anything except waking up in a hospital. My right leg had been amputated, and my other leg was badly broken.

How to rebuild a life

I am 30 years old and recently married. Before this happened, my wife and I used to talk about building a simple life after all the years we had lost during displacement. We talked about children, work, and finally living without fear.

Now I spend most of my time thinking about how I will walk again.

The doctors told me I need a prosthesis, and now it is truly my dream to get one — but it is very expensive and can cost up to $1,200. I added my name to the waiting list, and I am hoping someone can help me get one.

Sometimes I feel ashamed admitting that my biggest dream now is simply to stand on two feet again.

The shock keeps me awake

What stays with me the most is the feeling that we returned too early, or maybe that nobody truly understood how dangerous these areas still are.

We escaped war for years, but when we came back home, the war was still here — under the ground, waiting for us.

At night, I cannot sleep properly. I keep replaying the moment in my head and asking myself what would have happened if a child had found it before me. Sometimes that is the only thought that gives me comfort.