Local communities struggle against poverty in post-war Afghanistan
Even after the wars, the local population continues to be severely affected by poverty.
KATHMANDU: Decades of foreign invasion, internal conflict, and civil war have left Afghanistan in a state of devastation, displacement, and extreme poverty.
Even after the wars, the local population continues to be severely affected by poverty.
Zahir, who fled from the conflict in his birthplace of Kunduz Province, now lives in a settlement in Kabul.
He described the harsh reality faced by families like his, stating that food remains a constant concern.
Gul, who has been living in Kabul for the past 18 years after fleeing the war-torn Helmand Province, said that the war had consumed everything he once had.
A United Nations report by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in August revealed that more than half of the country’s population (23.7 million Afghans) is in need of humanitarian assistance.
The report also disclosed that 48% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Afghanistan’s interim administration has launched development projects such as canals, mines, and roads to create jobs and reduce poverty.
However, locals believe it will take years to overcome these challenges.
