A little relief for Mosa Jan
60-year-old Mosa Jan was a farmer in the Dand district of Kandahar, south Afghanistan. After surviving twenty-two years of war and four years of drought, he is no longer a farmer.
Twelve years ago, he stepped on a land mine and lost movement in both his legs. Although one leg could have been treated, Mosa Jan could not get access to the specialist doctors and medical care he needed.
Life is getting worse
Mosa Jan, father of 8 children, is confined to a wheelchair and unable to work in the fields anymore. His days now consist of begging in front of the Mirwais hospital. “I have no other way to earn money to buy food for my family. Life is getting worse.”
Mosa Jan cannot raise enough money through begging to feed his entire family. His eldest son is 12 years old but works long hours as a shepherd to supplement the family’s income. However food shortages in Afghanistan mean that food is expensive and many families can't buy basic food items.
Mosa Jan’s family also struggle to find clean drinking water as the well in their house dried up during the drought. They now have to collect water from a hand pump that is 70 metres away, which has added to their daily chores.
With no electricity and no money to pay for fuel, Mosa Jan’s son collects sticks and sheep dung every day after work which the family uses as fuel. Without this they would be unable to cook food, boil water or keep themselves warm in the harsh winters.
Chronic poverty
Mosa Jan is not alone in his suffering. According to a United Nations report, almost a third of the population of Afghanistan is dependent on humanitarian aid. Levels of chronic malnutrition and poverty remain alarmingly high as people struggle to get access food and healthcare.
Years of war have left the country’s infrastructure devastated and many homes, schools and hospitals desperately need to be rebuilt.
Feed the Fasting
In 2005, during the Islamic holy month of Ramadhan, Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) provided Mosa Jan’s family with a food parcel as part of its Feed the Fasting Programme. Over 31,500 families in Afghanistan also received food parcels that year.
When asked about the future, Mosa Jan told Islamic Relief, “I pray to Allah to that the killing stops in my country. I wish I could feed my children and send them to school… I hope my children will have a better life than I have had, but I sincerely thank all those who help the poor and ask them, and others, to keep on helping.”
