Afghans tell their stories of development progress
Related pages:
Afghanistan
country profile | Related news:
Afghanistan: Development
in Action (10 Nov, 2006) |
UK signs 10-year
partnership arrangement with Afghanistan (1 Feb, 2006)
The following are photographs and extracts from the personal
accounts of Afghans whose lives have been improved with UK development
assistance. You can read their full stories, and the accounts of others who have
benefited, in the publication
Afghanistan: Development
in Action (1.9
mb).
Rohgul Walidzada, Programme worker
‘People called me dollari and said I should be burned because I wanted a job
outside the home.’ Since then Rohgul has gone on to be the social organiser for
the Agha Khan Foundation and stood for Parliament against Professor Rabbani, the
former President of Afghanistan.
 Back
to top
Malalai, Editor and journalist
Malalai does not pass unnoticed in the streets of Kabul, dressed in blue jeans
and a white embroidered scarf. She is a journalist with a mission – to give a
voice to some of Kabul’s young people who face a difficult and uncertain future.
‘I can speak with people from all walks of life, about what they feel and think.
It has made me strong, I know about people’s difficulties and problems and
sometimes I can help solve them.’ Back
to top
Juma Khan, Veterinary worker
Juma
Khan learned his veterinary skills at a four-week course organised under the
Afghan Government’s National Solidarity Programme and now earns about 2,500
Afghanis (£26) per month from small charges to the farmers whose animals he
treats. He reckons about three out of four farmers in his locality use his
services. ‘I am an employed person. Everyone respects me now.’ Back
to top
Fazeleddin has no regrets moving to beekeeping. He sells honey locally, and to
traders who take it to Kabul. ‘My life has changed tremendously. I used to work
on a farm, now I lease 25 jeribs (12 acres) of land and employ my own
labourers.’ Back
to top
After long years as a refugee in Iran and Pakistan, Mahmoud decided to teach.
His salary of 2,000 Afghanis (£21) a month is not much, but it comes regularly
and it helps with the household expenses. At first, the teaching methods were
traditional. But then he attended two brief courses on child-centred learning.
This transformed his classes. ‘Now the children learn from each other as well as
me, and they learn better.’ Back
to top
Kubra, Tailoring teacher
‘If the NGOs didn’t help us we would die – I mean, now we have a clinic and when
we get ill or a pregnant woman needs help when she goes into labour, we can get
help. Before this wasn’t possible and a lot of people died because of their
injuries or other sicknesses.’
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