KABUL (SW) – Every morning, the bustling streets of Kabul’s Shahr-e-Naw area sees many vendors set up their stalls, among them is a middle-aged man who arrives much early, carefully arranging paint bottles, brushes, and tools against a wall. He waits for a passerby in need of shoe polishing services.
Azizullah, who has a disability, stretches his legs out, leaning his cane to the wall. Every day, he comes here to provide for his family of eight, hoping to earn a few afghanis by polishing or repairing shoes. Yet, many days he returns home empty-handed. “From morning until evening, there’s no work. We are poor and struggle. Many days I leave with just 10-20 afghanis; there’s no work and no bread,” he laments.
Azizullah faces a monthly rent of 1,500 afghanis, along with bills for electricity and water totaling nearly 1,100 afghanis. His meager earnings from shoe repairs have prevented him from paying rent for three months. “My landlord has warned me to pay soon, or I could be homeless,” he adds, his voice tinged with concern.
His worries extend beyond the basic needs of life; his wife is ill, and he struggles to afford her medical care. “Some days, I return home with just 10 afghanis. We have no daily income. Some days I manage to polish a pair of shoes; other days, I have no customers. I am disabled, and my children are in school,” he says.
The struggles of poverty have made it difficult for Azizullah to provide a better education for his six children. He dreams of a future where they can study and avoid his fate of wandering the streets for a meager livelihood. “I wish my children could become doctors or scholars,” he stated.
Despite his challenges, Azizullah claims he has received no assistance from the government or aid organizations. “I’ve visited the Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled, but I’ve received no help,” he shares.
Azizullah’s plight is not unique; many citizens face similar hardships. Near the entrance of Shahr-e-Naw Park, there was another vendor, Abdul Qayum, 55, who has laid out a worn carpet and is eager for morning customers. He also supports a family of eight through shoe repair since the last three years, a job that barely meets their needs.
Abdul Qayum explains that the rising costs of food, clothing, and rent are becoming increasingly unmanageable, making life difficult for him with having inadequate livelihood. “I used to work as a teacher and a cook, but unemployment forced me into shoe repair. I’m struggling to make ends meet,” he says.
Abdul Qayum, who three years ago worked in various organizations in culinary positions with a steady monthly income, now finds himself reliant on daily earnings. Previously, he could regularly budget his salary, but today he often returns home empty-handed, sometimes without even buying a loaf of bread. He explains, “I had another job as a chef, where I was busy, but now I’m doing cobbling, and there’s no work.”
His daily income ranges from 100 to 150 afghanis, insufficient to cover his rent of 4,500 afghanis per month. Fortunately, his daughter, a doctor, contributes to the family’s finances. Abdul Qayum’s eldest daughter earns a monthly salary of 10,000 afghanis, which has become crucial for the survival of their family of eight. He expresses that without her income, meeting the family’s needs would be nearly impossible.
Proud of his daughter’s education, Abdul Qayum appeals to the de-facto government to allow girls to pursue education and work, emphasizing the vital role educated women play in strengthening family economies. “Educated daughters and women contribute significantly to the growth of their families,” he asserts, highlighting the importance of empowering young women in Afghanistan.
Just a short distance away, another vendor named Rajab leans against a wall, meticulously polishing a shoe. He, too, turned to this work due to unemployment three years ago, yet finds that his earnings are inadequate for his family’s needs. “I used to be a cook, but now I have no choice but to work here,” explained father of six.
Rajab shares that he earns around 200 to 300 afghanis a day, although there are days with no income. “My home is far away, and the commute costs me money. There simply isn’t enough work,” he laments.
The stories of these cobblers highlight the unspoken struggles of countless men who, due to joblessness or low-paying work, cannot provide for their families.
According to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), 23.7 million people in Afghanistan need humanitarian assistance this year, while the level of aid has diminished. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recently announced that only 25% of the requested $3.6 billion for humanitarian needs has been received.
