Findings from Salam Watandar’s interviews with 40 women volunteers across 11 provinces show that many women have turned to volunteer work due to limited employment opportunities, the need to gain work experience, maintain connections to their professions, develop their skills, pursue their interest in working, and serve society.
Among the women interviewed, 15 volunteer in the media sector, 14 in education, nine in midwifery, and two in charitable organizations. Of the 40 women interviewed, 25 said the lack of job opportunities and the need to gain work experience were the main reasons they turned to volunteer work. Ten said they volunteered to stay connected to their professions, gain experience, and continue working in fields they are interested in, while five said their main motivation was to serve their country and strengthen their professional skills.
Limited job opportunities; a reason women turn to volunteer work
Marwa, an 18-year-old from Kabul, says her desire to serve others, gain experience, and strengthen her skills drove her to volunteer in the media sector.
“My desire to serve people, gain work experience, and improve my skills are among my main reasons for volunteering. I believe every person can make a positive impact on society, even without financial compensation,” she says.
Maryam, a 25-year-old from Faryab, who has been volunteering at a local media outlet for nearly two years, says she was compelled to accept volunteer work because of the shortage of job opportunities, the need to gain work experience, and her desire to stay connected to her profession.
“Because of the shortage of job opportunities, I had no choice but to accept volunteer work so that I could at least stay active in the workplace,” she says.
Sofiyaa Mohammadi, a 28-year-old midwife from Nuristan, has been volunteering at a hospital for the past eight months to gain practical experience and serve mothers and newborns.
“I have been working as a volunteer without pay at a hospital for nearly eight months. After graduating, I wanted to gain work experience while serving mothers and children. Although I do not receive a salary, I continue this work because I am interested in my profession,” she says.
The burden of working without pay
A number of women who participated in the interviews said that transportation costs, internet expenses, the lack of a stable income, family opposition, a shortage of facilities, and uncertainty about future employment are among the major challenges of volunteering.
Muska, a 20-year-old from Kabul who volunteers as a teacher at a school, says that even paying for internet costs is difficult.
“I work as a volunteer teacher without a salary. My biggest problem is the lack of internet. Whenever I need money for internet or other teaching-related needs, I have to ask my family for financial support,” she says
Bibi Hawa, a 24-year-old from Nangarhar who has worked as a volunteer at a media outlet for a year and a half, complains about the high cost of transportation and the lack of a stable income.
“During my volunteer work, I face many difficulties. Transportation costs, covering my personal expenses, and not having a stable income are my biggest challenges,” she says.
Malalai, a 20-year-old from Baghlan who has volunteered as a midwife for the past six months, speaks about the financial pressure she faces and her family’s complaints about her unpaid volunteer work.
“Working without a salary is exhausting. It is difficult to work without being paid. Despite my family’s complaints, I have made every effort to continue volunteering, not only to gain experience but also to serve the people,” she says.
Hoping to be hired; a promise yet to be fulfilled
Despite these challenges, many of these women remain hopeful that their volunteer work will pave the way for them to be officially hired.
Noor al-Sama, a 26-year-old from Jawzjan who has volunteered in the media sector for more than a year, says that although media officials promised her an official position when she began volunteering, she has not yet been hired.
“When I applied to volunteer, they told me that if I performed well and gained more experience, they would officially hire me if there was a need. This was very promising for me because, if hired, I would receive a salary,” she adds.
Soraya, a 36-year-old from Faryab who has also volunteered in the media sector for more than a year, says, “Yes, they promised to hire us, and they genuinely want to do so, but they are unable to because they currently lack the financial resources.”
Experts: unpaid work is not a sustainable solution
Meanwhile, economic experts say that the expansion of volunteer work—particularly among women—may help some organizations continue operating and provide work experience in the short term, but it could have negative economic and social consequences in the long term. To reduce these negative consequences, sustainable employment opportunities should be created.
Qutbuddin Yaqubi, an economic expert, says, “To prevent this issue, we need to invest more in short-term productive employment, strengthen technical sectors, pay attention to the capacities and opportunities available in local areas, and focus on economic sectors that can create jobs in the short, medium, and long term.”
Psychologists also believe that acknowledging female volunteers, providing social support, and creating better opportunities for them play an important role in maintaining their motivation and protecting their mental well-being.
Nasratullah Frotan, a psychologist, says that prolonged unpaid work—particularly under Afghanistan’s current difficult economic conditions—can have negative consequences for women’s psychological well-being.
“Long-term unpaid work, especially under Afghanistan’s current economic conditions, can lead to exhaustion, psychological stress, and declining motivation. When a person feels that their efforts are neither recognized nor have financial results, they may experience reduced self-confidence and begin to feel hopeless. If this continues for a prolonged period, it can eventually lead to burnout,” he says.
On the other hand, women’s rights activists say that the shortage of employment opportunities has forced many women to turn to volunteer activities because they had no other option, while trying to maintain a sense of usefulness, gain experience, and stay connected to the workplace.
Zakia Alizada, a women’s rights activist, says, “Women are driven to volunteer because work itself provides a sense of worth and usefulness. Those who are unemployed often experience feelings of helplessness, worthlessness, and a lack of usefulness, which can be emotionally distressing.”
In recent years, as employment opportunities—particularly for women—have declined, volunteer work has become one of the ways for women to stay connected to the workplace, gain experience, and strengthen their professional skills. Many women continue to work for extended periods without pay in sectors such as media, education, healthcare, and charitable organizations, while hoping for sustainable employment opportunities and official employment.
Reporter: Zarafshan Sharifi
