2005 Kashmir Earthquake – When the earth shook on the morning of October 8, 2005, life changed forever for thousands across Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Among them was Romila Hameed, a 15-year-old girl from Noor Gala village in Bagh, whose story of survival and resilience continues to inspire many — even two decades later.
That morning, as the 7.6 magnitude earthquake tore through the valleys, Romila and her family were at home. Within moments, their world collapsed — literally. Trapped under the debris, she could hear her mother’s cries and the chaos around her, but even then, she remained focused. “I kept telling myself I had to stay alive,” she recalls.
Romila was rescued after fifteen agonizing minutes, but the tragedy had already struck deep — she lost two of her sisters, her sister-in-law, and other family members. “The emotional loss was far greater than the physical one,” she says quietly. “You can heal from injury, but you never recover from losing loved ones.”
A Life Rebuilt from the Rubble
In the chaos that followed, Romila was shifted first to a local hospital in Bagh and then airlifted to AFIRM Hospital in Rawalpindi, and later to Al-Jazeera Hospital (now Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital) for rehabilitation. It was there, under the guidance of doctors from the United States, that her journey toward recovery truly began.
“They didn’t just treat my body — they healed my spirit,” she recalls. “They taught me how to manage my life on a wheelchair, how to be independent, and how to never give up.”
Returning to Pakistan after months of treatment, Romila decided she would not let her disability define her. She resumed her studies, starting from Intermediate in Commerce and working her way up to a Master’s degree in Commerce (M.Com). Despite physical challenges and social barriers, she topped her class of over 350 students. “That was the moment I realized — I can do it,” she says with pride.
From Survivor to Changemaker
But Romila’s journey didn’t stop at personal achievement. Her experiences inspired her to help others facing similar challenges. After working with various NGOs, including a USAID-funded project that trained over 300 women across Pakistan, she launched her own social initiative in 2019, called SMT — Self-Management Training.
Through SMT, Romila has trained and supported over 5,000 people with disabilities across Pakistan, offering not only peer counseling and emotional support but also wheelchairs, medical aid, small business grants, and digital skill training. Her initiative focuses on helping individuals become financially independent through freelancing and entrepreneurship.
“When you’ve lived through such an experience, you understand others’ pain,” she says. “I saw that many girls weren’t just financially dependent — they were emotionally broken. I wanted to help them rebuild their confidence.”
The Strength Behind the Story
Behind Romila’s success stands her brother, Qasim Ahmed Chaudhry, who has been her constant companion and caretaker since that fateful day. A businessman from Bagh, Qasim lost his wife and home in the earthquake but found renewed purpose in supporting Romila.
“Allah chose me for this responsibility,” he says. “I never saw it as a burden — it was an honor.”
From carrying her wheelchair up dozens of stairs during college exams to driving her daily to classes in his old Mehran car, Qasim’s devotion is a story of unconditional love and sacrifice. “We never asked for charity or pity,” he adds. “We did everything through hard work and faith.”
Together, Romila and Qasim have helped hundreds of earthquake survivors and people with disabilities through their NGO work. Their motto is simple: “Money doesn’t create change — sincerity and passion do.”
Beyond Sympathy: A Call for Accessibility and Inclusion
Now, nearly 20 years after the earthquake, Romila uses her voice to advocate for accessibility, education, and equal opportunities for people with disabilities in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. She believes that while society has progressed in awareness, there is still a long way to go in practical inclusion.
“In our hilly areas, roads are broken, schools are not accessible, and people in wheelchairs can’t even reach hospitals,” she explains. “We need national-level forums for women with disabilities — for their education, employment, and empowerment.”
Her message to Pakistan’s youth is powerful: “Don’t wait for miracles. Your hard work is the miracle.”
A Life Transformed by Faith
Reflecting on her journey, Romila says, “The earthquake destroyed everything — but it also gave me a new life, a new direction. Allah turned my tragedy into a mission.”
For her, the 2005 earthquake was not the end — it was a beginning. A beginning that transformed pain into purpose, dependence into empowerment, and despair into hope.“Every earthquake — every crisis in life — comes with a turning point,” she says.
“What truly matters is patience, gratitude, and courage.”