Zameer- the little delivery boy in the vegetable market

For the last several months Zameer has been living and working in the Khair Khona vegetable market. Daily the 11 year old boy worked as a delivery boy, and spent his nights in an old vegetable shop, behind empty boxes. His grandparents had refused to keep him. Zameer was introduced to the Centre for Working and Street Children by one of his friends, a center student. When he arrived at the centre, the administrator took care of his sanitary situation, sending the boy to cut his hair and wash himself. After that the centers' social worker established contact with the boys' grandparents, and after long and fruitful discussion got permission for Zameer to spend his nights at his grandparents' place. This was even more important for the boy, than food, because he could not possibly spend his nights outside in the cold and snowy winter in Kabul. Zameer was admitted to class first in the center where he received a toiletry kit, stationery and some warm clothes. Now the boy is coming to the lessons daily, he is involved in the children's group work, counseling and recreational programs, and is playing in the yard between lessons like a regular small boy. When he needs money, he works in the market after classes, but at least he has some place to stay at night, and some other place where he gets support and can play with his friends.

Seema

Seema is a 10 year old girl, student of class 3 at CWSC, Kabul. Seema is a child who has suffered lot, not only from economic problems. She does not remember her father. She has 2 sisters. The girls' mother is weak and sick, but she is forced to work washing for people. Sometimes Seema's mother is sick and cannot work, then the girls and mother spend the day hungry. Their family rents a small poor room, paying rent to the house owner.

Seema is a clever and talented girl, and spends all her free time learning. She is one of the best students in her class. Even when she is hungry, she comes to the center. After lessons at the centre she usually is collecting usable items from the rubbish or just begging on the street, to support her mother and sisters. Seema say: ”I want to learn and stay on my own feet. I want to be an educated woman when I grow up. I want my mother to be healthy, so we can live a better life. I am happy that I have my mother, but sometimes she cannot feed us.”

Bibikoh

Bibikoh is 16 years old. She is usually wearing very old clothes. According to Afghan custom of exchange, the girl was married into her brother-in–law's family at the age of 8. Bibikoh lived with her husband in Pakistan after the marriage. She was doing all the house work from a young age and was being exploited by her husband's family who are not well–off.

In April 2004, her husband brought her to visit her mother, who is living in Kabul . Seeing the AWEC organized Accelerated Learning class working close to their home, Bibikoh refused to go back to Pakistan and asked her husband for permission to stay with her mother and attend the lessons. At first he did not agree. Bibikoh did not want to anger her husband and spoil her family life, but her wish to learn was very strong. Then she asked the AWEC Community Mobilizer to help her. The community mobilizer had a long discussion with the girl's husband, and at the end he agreed and gave permission for his young wife to stay in Kabul .

Bibikoh is very eager to learn. She is the first student who arrives in the class in the morning and the last who leaves the classroom at the end of the lesson. Now she has learned some reading and writing. She is planning to finish all 6 grades in class and go to formal school afterwards. Bibikoh says: ”I want to become a teacher in future. I also want to teach my illiterate husband.”

“Can you teach my husband, too?” she was asking. “He is coming back from Pakistan.” The community mobilizer has promised for Bibikoh to introduce her husband to literacy classes. Education can change the life of this young family.

Shafiqa

Shafiqa is living in Kabul city. Although not rich, she was very happy in the early years of her marriage. She tells: "I valued my home and was keeping it clean and tidy. I cared for my husband and he always wore good clothes. I loved my husband very much. I never imagined sharing him with another woman."

Shafiqa had three daughters and no son. She was “miraz” (a woman, who has no son. Her daughters are usually not entitled to receive something from their father). After 10 years her husband decided to take another wife, who will bear him a son. “I was just unlucky,” Shafiqa says. ”After his second wedding, in the same year, God gave me a son, and I bore to him 3 sons after that.” Shafiqa husband's other wife also had no sons. After birth of Shafiqa's seventh child, her husband left her completely, and settled with his other wife. "I haven't even seen him since," she says.

Shafiqa was waited for her husband to take care of the family, but children needed to eat and she was forced to do something for them. She worked at people's houses washing, cleaned wheat and worked in the fields.

“When I was invited to join the AWEC widows group, I was relieved. I received a lot of support and learned a lot of things here,” she tells.” I have no worries now, and feel very thankful to AWEC personnel for this. I learned how to organize a small business and took a loan. From this money I bought a big pot for rice cooking and 100 plates, which I gave out for rent. My son-in law joined me and is helping me now."

From her income she is paying back a loan and looking after her other children. Shafiqa tells: "Before, I was engaged in debts and always sick. Now my children have bread to eat and we are better off. My life has changed to positive side. I pray for AWEC teachers."

Wasima

Wasima is 37 years old and has 5 children.

Wasima's family was very poor. Usually they had nothing for dinner. Wasima tells: "I knew a bit of tailoring, but had no sewing machine. I was illiterate and did not know how to manage my life. I did not know how to get an order and to start work. We were living like that for long time, until one of the AWEC students introduced me to the widows' group. The center become like mother for me. I usually got advice I needed here."

Wasima learned to read and write, improved her tailoring skills and used counselors' services at the AWEC center. After learning about small business, she took a loan and bought a sewing machine and materials. She started to sew shopping bags, children's clothes and sell these things in the bazaar. “Now my life is improved. I earn money I need,” Wasima says, but she admits: ”It is rather hard to pay back the loan. My income last year was only 50 USD.”

AWEC prison project

When the AWEC social worker visited Maria in the prison, she fell on her knees in front of the social worker, held her legs and cried, praying: "I am so worried about my children. Please, bring me some news about them…"

“For the last several nights Maria has been waking all us up by loud crying in the middle of the night,” other women at the prison complained.

The youngest of her children is in prison with his mother, but the 3 older children are now living with their aunt.

After the arrest of Maria, her sister in law put in a request and took Maria's three children to her house. Living in slums, in an environment where people resort to desperate measures to survive, this woman tried to involve her 14 year old niece in prostitution. The girl reported this to the local security establishments three times, but no action was taken by them to protect or support the girl.

The social worker took a decision to take care of Maria's children and find a solution for the situation the children were in.

AWEC social workers had several meetings with the girls' aunt, local court officials, and local judge to provide all the necessary documentation for taking the three children from their aunt and introducing them to an orphanage. They met and had discussions with the family, with the local judge, with local court officials and police, to get all the necessary documentation for winning the case of the three children. After finishing formalities social workers contacted the Supreme Court and finalized the decision to take the three children to an orphanage. This case once more demonstrates the importance and positive role of the social worker in the prison, and the actual help to the women imprisoned.

Please see our Projects section for more photographs and details of the projects mentioned on this page.