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The urgency for emergency aid is indeed real and pressing. The mention of women selling their organs and children to survive highlights the severe humanitarian crisis and the extreme vulnerability they are facing
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Begging and Selling of Children:
The rise of poverty is forcing more women across the northern regions of Afghanistan to turn to desperate measures to escape the grinding poverty. In households where a male family member is no longer alive or unable to provide due to injury or illness, women often bear the burden of finding ways to support their families, including their children and elderly parents. Street begging is the only options for survival for many of these women. The situation in Afghanistan has reached a dire state, with reports of women being forced to sell their daughters, some as young as four to feed themselves and their families. This heartbreaking choice, driven by continuous starvation and desperation, sometimes becomes the only option for survival, with children being sold for as little as $500. According to the UN, nearly 24 million people in Afghanistan are suffering, with 60% of the population experiencing acute hunger. Among them, approximately 8.7 million Afghans are struggling with severe starvation. These numbers underscore the severity of the humanitarian crisis and the urgent need for survival aid.
Some women have 9 or more dependents, knowing their survival is in your hands is a lot of pressure and enough to make any woman turn to extreme measures. The accounts from the ground are real and deeply troubling, as we work with women their stories highlight the raw reality of poverty and the severe challenges they face daily.
Tahira’s Account: I was going to sell my child
My name is Tahira, and I have four children. Our life is very difficult, especially after my husband died six months ago. It was a devastating loss for us. I pay $15 for this little room and some extra for utilities. I have to loan groceries from the local shopkeeper because I can’t afford to buy food. The children get very sad if I don’t cook; they become depressed. A neighbor used to buy us a loaf of bread, but after a while, he said he couldn’t afford it anymore. Now, we are just surviving. Somebody came to our home to buy my daughter Mahnaz, who is only four years old. When he saw her, he offered me $500, I intended to sell my daughter.
This is the harsh reality of the difficult choices women face in Afghanistan, where everything seems stacked against them. In Tahira’s case, we were able to intervene by providing her with a business (Tahira now, far right), so she didn’t have to make the heartbreaking decision of selling her daughter. During our last visit, we saw remarkable changes in her life. Tahira shared some of the highlights of her new journey:
1.“I am earning enough to live a comfortable life now.”
2.“I can buy food daily, and we even have heating now.”
3.“All my children are going to school.”
4.“I bought a TV for the children and new cushions.”
5.“I’ve even started a new hobby—rug making.”
6.“I don’t feel stressed anymore; I can’t believe I was ever going to sell my daughter.”
Tahira’s story is a testament to how empowering women with sustainable livelihoods can change lives, bringing security, dignity, and hope where there was once only desperation.
Our Response:
It is important to understand that each person has something unique to bring to the table. Exploring these individual strengths and talents is essential before deciding on the types of businesses that would best suit women. By recognising and building on these unique qualities, we can create opportunities that empower women and set them up for success.
A simple, personalised approach is implemented, recognising that each woman has a unique skill set and passion. This is why it’s essential—and a core part of the project’s success—that the team sits down with each woman to help her draw up her own business plan. Together, we evaluate and cost the business and create a profit forecast. If everyone is satisfied with the plan, we proceed by providing training tailored to managing that specific business. We then accompany each woman to purchase her business components, ensuring she’s set up for success.
Our objective is to empower women to stand on their own feet, freeing them from dependence on handouts and, ultimately, protecting their dignity. By helping them build sustainable livelihoods, we aim to give them the tools and confidence they need to create secure, self-sufficient lives for themselves and their families.
