Consecutive years of drought in Ghor have left pastures with little fodder and forced many livestock owners to face high costs to feed their livestock. Some have also sold part of their livestock to keep the rest alive.
Despite the interest of some youth in learning foreign languages and digital skills, high fees at private educational centers have limited their opportunities to continue their education. They say that financial problems have caused them to temporarily stop their courses or face difficulties paying the fees.
A number of youth say that, for various reasons, they have not had the opportunity to learn certain academic and technical skills at schools and universities. However, through hard work and perseverance, they have acquired these skills through self-learning and, after gaining the necessary abilities, found jobs and started earning an income in the same fields. Salam Watandar’s interviews with 24 youth aged between 20 and 35 from six provinces of Afghanistan show that self-learning has helped them acquire various skills needed in the labor market.
With the start of the growing season this spring, the green slopes and mountains of Panjshir, Parwan and Kapisa once again saw large numbers of local residents heading into the mountains to collect mushrooms, rhubarb and other medicinal plants. For many families, these plants not only meet some of their food and medicinal needs but also provide a source of income.
It is nearly seven in the morning. A new day has begun in the streets and alleys of Kabul. People are gradually leaving their homes, and the streets are becoming busier. Amid these sounds, the loudspeaker of a mobile vendor can be heard from a distance. The sound gets louder as the vendor approaches, passes by the houses, and then disappears around a corner. As one loudspeaker goes silent, another begins.
Mass return of migrants, population growth, and the increasing number of university graduates is putting greater pressure on Afghanistan’s labor market while according to experts, the country’s capacity to create jobs and grow its economy is not aligned with the growing workforce. They say that if this trend continues, pressure on the labor market will increase, along with the risk of rising poverty and unemployment.
Akbar starts his work every morning at his greenhouse in Ghor by checking the cucumber plants and monitoring the irrigation system. He says that becoming familiar with drip irrigation through a radio educational program changed the way he farms and encouraged him to use the method in his greenhouse.
The expansion of solar-powered pump use in Nangarhar has reduced farmers’ irrigation costs and helped increase crop yields. However, declining rainfall and excessive use of groundwater have raised concerns about falling water levels and the possibility of a water crisis in the coming years.
A number of youth with disabilities in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh, say that a lack of educational facilities and economic difficulties have made it difficult for them to continue their education. They also face more restrictions when looking for jobs. They add that, in some cases, employers pay attention to their disabilities rather than their abilities and skills when hiring.
As the Islamic Emirate completes five years in power, a number of youth are concerned about the lack of sufficient educational and job opportunities. They are calling for more opportunities for education, skills training, and employment. Salam Watandar’s interviews with 28 youth, including 16 girls and 12 boys from 13 provinces, show that they face challenges in accessing education, skills training, and job opportunities.
It is seven in the morning, and youth who work as drivers are standing beside their cars at Shahrak Terminal in Nili, the capital of Daikundi province. Some are drinking tea, while others silently stare at the road that runs through the mountains of Daikundi toward Kandahar and Kabul. Only occasionally does a passenger enter the terminal, ask about the fare, and leave again. Waiting has become a major part of these drivers’ daily lives—a difficult wait that sometimes lasts for days.
Although many Afghan youth face limited educational opportunities, economic difficulties, and restrictions on employment, 16 young people told Salam Watandar that, despite their failures, limited resources, and a lack of adequate support, they have been able to succeed in sports, medical technology, healthcare, scientific competitions, and entrepreneurship, and proudly raise Afghanistan’s name at the international level.
