02:18Iraq: Meet Belind, the refugee who escaped IS despite having no legs
The footage released on Wednesday shows a Syrian Kurdish refugee, Belind, who despite being born without legs managed to travel to the Gawilan refugee camp, near Dohuk in the Kurdish governorate, Iraq, from this hometown in Syria.
Belind fled with his family from the city of Qamishli in north eastern Syria in 2013. "I was in a wheelchair. My brother pushed me all the way and when we had to go uphill, I would walk and climb myself until we reached Kurdistan," he said about their journey.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR has provided Belind with all necessary treatment in the camp. Now the young man trains young refugees in table tennis, breakdancing, weightlifting as well as finding the time to play football with other refugees. Sport has always been Belind's passion, even winning a weightlifting championship in 2012.
“Don't look at yourself as disabled. You need to have that defiance in you. Defy everyone. When someone looks at you they need to say, he is an example,” stated Belind.
According to UNHCR statistics, about 7,500 refugees, mostly Syrian Kurds, live in the Gawilan camp.
Source: UNHCR / UNIFEED
02:18The footage released on Wednesday shows a Syrian Kurdish refugee, Belind, who despite being born without legs managed to travel to the Gawilan refugee camp, near Dohuk in the Kurdish governorate, Iraq, from this hometown in Syria.
Belind fled with his family from the city of Qamishli in north eastern Syria in 2013. "I was in a wheelchair. My brother pushed me all the way and when we had to go uphill, I would walk and climb myself until we reached Kurdistan," he said about their journey.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR has provided Belind with all necessary treatment in the camp. Now the young man trains young refugees in table tennis, breakdancing, weightlifting as well as finding the time to play football with other refugees. Sport has always been Belind's passion, even winning a weightlifting championship in 2012.
“Don't look at yourself as disabled. You need to have that defiance in you. Defy everyone. When someone looks at you they need to say, he is an example,” stated Belind.
According to UNHCR statistics, about 7,500 refugees, mostly Syrian Kurds, live in the Gawilan camp.
Source: UNHCR / UNIFEED