Like so many Afghan women, 46-year-old Salima is married to one of her male relatives. Eighteen years of marriage produced four children and were marked by extreme poverty from the outset. Her eldest son, Amrullah, had to take on responsibility at an early age, dropping out of school and earning the family’s main income with odd jobs ever since.
Eighteen-year-old Nasima had to leave school early for other reasons, as girls are not allowed to attend school after a certain age. Only her younger siblings, 13-year-old Khairullah and 12-year-old Basmina, currently attend school.
While Amrullah spends his days pulling an Afghan handcart, called a “yarqan,” and scraping by as a day laborer, Salima’s husband collects plastic and trash to sell the recyclables to wealthier Afghans.
Salima suffers from an arterial disease in her legs and is unable to stand. She even needs help going to the toilet. Afghan doctors have advised her to seek medical help abroad, as treatment in Afghanistan itself is not feasible. However, such treatment is unaffordable for Salima’s family, whose income is barely enough to put bread on the table.
With tears in her eyes, Ms. Salima says, “My wish is to be able to stand on my own two feet again, so that I am no longer a burden to others and can also help my children. If I receive treatment, I may be able to alleviate my family’s suffering a little.” The family’s economic situation is so precarious that this winter they could not even afford enough fuel to heat their home. They suffer from a lack of food and basic necessities and live in extremely difficult conditions.
We are therefore urgently seeking sponsors to support the family.