Shafiqullah, a chicken seller in Mazar-i-Sharif, said, “The newly established farms, along with those built in the past, have a great impact on chicken meat prices. If we relied on Pakistan, one kilogram would cost over 300 Afghanis; now, the price in the city is 220 Afghanis.”
“This year in Shaidaei, the winds were very strong, and a storm destroyed our greenhouses. I didn’t have the money to rebuild, so I had to sell them. I ran a greenhouse for six years, and now I’m unemployed. I sell wood to pay for household expenses; I can’t build a new greenhouse,” he says.
Rahmatullah, a 27-year-old from Kabul, says: “I have seen many educated and capable people doing hard labor because they could not find suitable jobs. There is widespread discrimination. Unqualified individuals are hired for positions they are not qualified for. I have personally experienced this favoritism.”
The Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Office-Afghanistan announced on X that foreign investors can now obtain residence for 1 to 10 years, based on their investment level.
A report by the City of London Corporation, published by The Guardian, warns that women in tech and financial services are at higher risk of losing their jobs to AI and automation than men.
Fatima, one of these women, grows vegetables both for her family and for the local market. She said, “I have a home garden where I grow tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, coriander, and mint. I sell them in the market and support a family of eight with this income.”
Nazifa Fateh, a 21-year-old resident of Faryab, said, “After the girls’ schools were closed, I lost the chance to continue my education. I felt I should not spend my time aimlessly, so I decided to learn a profession to stay occupied and be useful to myself and my family. With the few basic tools I had at home, I began learning sewing on my own.”
Shaimagul Samadi shares a similar story. She says: “Before, I knew a little about herbs, but I didn’t know how to use them—what they are good for, what benefits they have, or how they work. Since I came here, I’ve learned how to use them properly.”
She adds: “Before coming here, my family’s financial situation was very weak, and I faced many mental health challenges. When I heard about the workshop, I joined and learned sewing in one year. By making clothes, I now have an income and can help my family. Most importantly, my mental health has improved.”
Alina Tokhi says having girls in such jobs shows that women, like men, can do any kind of work. “I used to think this was only for men, but I realized any job men can do, women can do too,” she says.
Although poverty and economic difficulties in Afghanistan have cast a shadow over the celebration of special occasions, many young people are making efforts, with limited resources, to create lasting memories for themselves and their families this Eid al-Fitr in 2025.
KABUL (SW) – The Afghanistan Central Bank/ Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) has announced that in order to maintain and stabilize the value of the Afghani
