A HARD LIFE
When Bibi Khadija married at the age of 18, life in Afghanistan was very different to how it is now. Within a few months of her wedding, Russia had invaded the country, her husband had been forced to join the army, and life had begun to deteriorate dramatically. In 1983, the couple fled to Pakistan.
15 years later, the couple decided to return to their home in Kandahar city only to be faced with the news that their house had been totally destroyed. Forced to live in a tent with their three young children, they remained determined to rebuild their family home on the same site.
Unexploded Mine
Bibi and her husband camped near the remains of their house and began to remove the rubble. One day as they were working, the movement caused a mine that was hidden in the rubble to detonate. The explosion killed Bibi’s husband instantly, and she was left paralysed in both legs.
“I only received first aid, if I had money I could have been treated by professional doctors in the neighbouring countries and I wound not be crippled.”
Now 45 years old and struggling against continuous food and water shortages and growing poverty, Bibi remains just as committed to caring for her family. Her day though is long and hard, balancing her duties as a mother with a job weaving and sewing clothes to try and raise the funds necessary to cover her family’s basic needs.
“I cannot walk and I use a wheelchair to move from one place to another” says Bibi. “My daughter is 13 years old and she helps me to fill the water pots for washing the dishes, mixing-up the wheat flour and making tea.”
Bibi’s sons, aged 11 and 9, help their mother by collecting dung from streets and grazing areas to use as fuel for cooking, boiling and keeping warm.
Despite being committed to her family, the future for Bibi and her children remains precarious. “If my family does not receive any support then our lives will be very difficult. Life without having basic food items, water, clothes…my words cannot express the terrible condition of our lives”.
Feed the Fasting
Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) is helping Bibi and others like her as part of its Feed the Fasting Programme that began in the holy Islamic month of Ramadan in 2005. Supporting her on a monthly basis, IR provides Bibi and others in a similar situation with basic food items such as wheat, flour, rice, cooking oil, sugar and tea.
This programme is just one aspect of IRW’s work in Afghanistan. Despite ongoing insecurity and military activity in the country, IRW aid workers and volunteers have been active across Central and Southern Afghanistan since 1992.
In addition to food and clothing being distributed, IRW has provided emergency response to natural disasters, drought relief, and development projects such as water, sanitation and micro-credit schemes.
Despite the bleakness of her situation, Bibi remains optimistic and hopeful for her children: “I hope my children will be well-educated and they will be able to feed their families…I certainly appreciate Islamic Relief’s assistance”.
