This is the story of Alberto Cairo and the narrative of war’s impact on the afghan population. In his mid-60s, Alberto is a physiotherapist working in Kabul and has been called “the man who has helped 100,000 people walk again.” The Italian, who was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2010, runs the International Committee of the Red Cross’ rehabilitation programme in the country.

War and Afghanistan have become synonymous. For more than 40 years, this country has seen generation after generation under constant turmoil. Even today, the threat of violence, in the form of suicide bombers, landmines and improvised explosive devices, or IED’s is a daily occurrence. Combatants and civilians alike are the casualties of this long running conflict, and many find themselves sitting on the wooden benches outside Cairo’s office, waiting and hoping for life-changing prosthetics. What Alberto, and his staff, offers is so much more. They not only help heal the body, but the mind as well.