Many children who are the breadwinners for their families are engaged in hazardous work in the province of Logar.
Many of these children lost their fathers during the conflict over the last two decades.
The income that these children make from hazardous jobs in automobile mechanic shops is not sufficient to meet the expenses of the family.
Logar was among the most insecure provinces during the time of the former government of President Ashraf Ghani.
“I am an orphan. I work in this workshop. They are paying me 100-150 Afs in tips. With that money, I buy something for the family,” said Hameed Irfan, an orphan.
These children have no time to attend school.
“I want to go to school but my family has no breadwinner. So I work here. I receive 200 Afs per week but it is not sufficient,” said Rafiullah, an orphan.
Some of the children working at these workshops are not orphans but are forced to engage in child labor due to severe poverty.
“I work here. I am being paid 150 Afs per week. My ambition is to go to school,” said Irfan, a child.
“I give these children 100-150 Afs (per week) but it is not sufficient,” said an owner of the workshop.
The local officials said that plans are underway to address the problems of the children who suffer from poverty.
“The Islamic Emirate intends to provide educational opportunities for them…the children are working due to poverty,” said Inamullah, deputy governor of Logar.
According to the provincial Public Works department, around 1,200 children are engaged in child labor.
Earlier, Save the Children said that one in five families in Afghanistan have been forced to send their children for work as the country is facing an unprecedented economic meltdown.
Meanwhile, save the Children expressed grave concerns over the humanitarian crisis affecting Afghan children, saying the cold weather has greatly increased problems for the young in Afghanistan.
Save the Children said that millions are hungry, out of school, displaced and face the threat of cold weather. They need urgent humanitarian assistance, the organization said.
“Families at the moment are struggling to eat. Nearly five million children are one step away from famine, so it is absolutely critical that the international community continue to support Afghanistan,” said Kristiana Marton, an officer at Save the Children.
Ahmad Hussain, 11, is one of millions of Afghan children who is working to afford food for his 11-member family. He said that poverty forced him to leave school. “I was in school, but I left it after my father lost his job. Every day, I earn about 50 to 60 afghani,” Ahmad Hussain told TOLOnews.
“I polish shoes to find the money to buy bread for my family; in these cold days, few people come,” said Kaihan.
According to the findings of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, more than ten domestic organizations, with the cooperation of international agencies, are working to support Afghan children. The activities of the Afghan organizations were hindered after international aid ceased to Afghanistan.
“The aid decreased due to the lack of coordination among international agencies. Children are more at risk than at any other time,” said Zarqa Yaftali, head of a research organization for women and children.
In the meantime, the Islamic Emirate says that efforts are underway to bring positive changes to the lives of Afghan children. “We will collect working children and will find them learning opportunities and the government will financially help their families, it is part of the government’s future plan for children,” said Samangani.—Tolonews
