Reclaiming life after recovery from drug dependence

Kabul, Afghanistan—At just 20, Nasrin from a quiet village in Bamyan had already lived through the darkness of drug dependence. What began with a single pill offered by someone in her village quickly spiraled into addiction to opium, tramadol, pregabalin, and a drug known locally as “Tablet K.”

“I lost control,” she shares. “I was in pain all the time and started stealing from my family. I hated myself, but I didn’t know how to stop.”

Everything changed when her mother received a brochure from the WHO-supported Women’s Drug Treatment Center in Bamyan. It gave them the hope they desperately needed.

“At first, I was scared people would judge me,” Nasrin recalls. “But at the center, I was met with kindness.”

Over 45 days, she received medical treatment, counseling, psychosocial support, and daily care. She met other women with similar stories and began to heal—physically, emotionally, and socially. When her treatment ended, the center helped her join a local tailoring workshop where she could work, earn, and reconnect with life.

“Three months drug-free now. I’ve reconnected with my family, made friends, and I’m dreaming again,” she smiles. “To anyone struggling, I say: don’t give up. Recovery is possible.”

“Helping young women like Nasrin reclaim their future is what drives our work,” said Dr Edwin Ceniza Salvador, WHO Representative to Afghanistan. “Every woman deserves the chance to live free from drug use disorders, with dignity, health, and hope. By expanding access to treatment and community reintegration, we are not only saving lives; we are restoring them.”

The Women’s Addiction Treatment Centre in Bamyan is a great example of what can be achieved through collaboration. Thanks to the joint efforts of WHO, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), UNODC, and the generous support from the European Union Delegation (EU) in Afghanistan, women like Nasrin rebuild their lives with dignity—one step at a time.

For more information, please contact:

Najiburrahman Hamid Communication Officer WHO – Kabul, Afghanistan, nhamid@who.int