Findings from Salam Watandar’s interviews with 25 youth (14 young men and 11 young women) who hold multiple jobs show that taking on two or more jobs at the same time is less a matter of choice than an economic necessity and a way to acquire new skills.
Of the respondents, 11 said they had taken on multiple jobs because of economic difficulties, rising living costs, low wages, and a lack of stable employment opportunities. Nine said they work multiple jobs because they are interested in different professions and want to acquire new skills. Another five said they do so to increase their income and make better use of their free time.
The findings show that 16 of the youth interviewed hold two jobs, while the remaining nine hold three jobs. In terms of employment type, seven work in the formal sector, six in the informal sector, and 12 work in both sectors.
Ahmad, a 23-year-old computer science graduate from Kabul, says he holds two jobs because of his interest in technology and programming.
“I am very interested in technology, programming, and developing new systems. Whenever I get a job or project opportunity, I try to make the most of it to gain experience and improve my skills. Of course, meeting my financial needs is also one of the main reasons we have to take on several jobs at the same time,” he says.
Ali Mohammadi, a 34-year-old from Herat, says low wages and economic difficulties have forced him to take on multiple jobs—including teaching, working at health centers, and freelancing—to cover his living expenses.
“Unfortunately, the economic situation is very difficult, and the income from a single job is not enough to cover living expenses. Relying on just one job severely affects our quality of life, and we cannot afford to cover all our living expenses,” he says.
The findings also show that the monthly income of the youth interviewed ranges from 11,000 to 30,000 Afghanis. Of the 25 respondents, 21 earn income from all their jobs, while the remaining four earn income from only one job.
Baktash Azizi, a 22-year-old from Parwan, says his interest in teaching and the low wages from his work have led him to take on multiple jobs. He earns a total of 11,000 to 12,000 Afghanis per month.
“I teach for two hours in the morning and another two hours in the afternoon at two educational centers. My earnings from teaching depend on the number of students and are calculated as a percentage of the fees they pay. I make around 3,000 to 4,000 Afghanis from teaching. I earn more from my administrative and financial duties at an educational center, where I receive a monthly salary of 8,000 Afghanis,” he adds.
Hamida, a 28-year-old from Kabul, also says that despite holding three jobs, her income is still insufficient, so she continues to look for additional work.
“My income from each job varies from month to month. Some months, I earn more than 10,000 Afghanis, while in others, I earn less. Although I have three jobs, I receive income from only two of them. I now spend more time on journalism and less on tailoring. So, I can say that I earn slightly more from journalism,” she says.
Despite this, holding multiple jobs has not been enough for some of the respondents to improve their financial situation and meet their living expenses.
Ahmad Zahir, from Maidan Wardak, says his monthly income is not enough to meet his needs.
“No. For example, if someone works as a teacher and earns a low salary while supporting a family with five or six members, there is nothing left to save. The family may even need more money,” he says.
The consequences of holding multiple jobs at the same time
While holding multiple jobs can provide financial benefits and opportunities to gain experience and develop new skills, it also comes with challenges. Some of the youth interviewed for this report say that holding multiple jobs has left them with less time to sleep, caused fatigue, and limited their opportunities to continue their education.
Farzana, a 22-year-old from Kabul, says that holding multiple jobs has affected her ability to concentrate and increased her mental stress.
“Holding several different jobs at the same time has caused problems for me. Sometimes I cannot manage to complete all my work, and other times I become extremely tired,” she says.
Halima, another 25-year-old from Kabul who holds multiple jobs, says: “The biggest challenge for me is managing my time and balancing work, education, and personal life. Sometimes, because of my many responsibilities and limited time, I find it difficult to complete all my tasks. In such situations, I have to prioritize my tasks.”
A number of psychologists say that youth can take on several income-generating activities once they have ensured a balance between their personal lives, rest, and work.
Sayed Rohullah Rezwani, a psychologist, says that mental health should not be sacrificed for the sake of holding multiple jobs.
“When a young person holds multiple jobs and sacrifices other aspects of life to fulfill their work responsibilities, it can harm their personal life and mental health. Job burnout and mental exhaustion occur when the energy a person expends is far greater than the energy they gain in return,” he says.
On the other hand, some economic experts say that taking on multiple jobs can contribute to the economic growth of both individuals and society, provided that these jobs are properly managed.
Omidullah Qasemzai, an economic expert, emphasizes the importance of having multiple sources of income, saying:
“We should also look at having multiple jobs from a positive perspective. Given the current circumstances, people should not rely on a single source of income but should have several sources of income. This can help them cover their living expenses and acquire new skills.”
Meanwhile, officials at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs say the ministry is pursuing programs to reduce unemployment and create job opportunities for youth. These include technical and vocational training, professional skills development, and cooperation with the private sector and partner organizations. Mohammad Seddiq Tawhidi, head of Information and Publications at the ministry, says:
“Last year, the Labor Inspection and Guidance Directorate inspected and evaluated 470 public and private institutions. During the same period, it received 50 labor-related complaints, 45 of which were fully addressed.”
In recent years, rising living costs, low incomes, and limited job opportunities in Afghanistan have pushed some youth to take on two or more jobs at the same time. The income they earn from multiple jobs has contributed to improving their economic situation.
Reporter: Zarafshan Sharifi
