An idea grew out of a need—an idea that today provides children with a safe place to learn and play while giving families new hope. In Badakhshan province, a young woman has established a private kindergarten, taking a step toward children’s education while also showing how initiative and small investments can help respond to the needs of society.
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.
The recent devastating floods in Parun, the capital of Nuristan, have killed at least 25 people and injured 119 others, while damaging homes, markets, agricultural land, and irrigation infrastructure. Despite Nuristan having more than 231,000 hectares of natural forests, the disaster raises a question: To what extent can forests reduce the severity of sudden floods in mountainous areas?
Specialist obstetricians and gynecologists, emphasizing that having a period is a natural part of girls’ growth, say that many girls experience their first period with fear and anxiety because of a lack of awareness and the existence of misconceptions in society. They say that providing timely information about the physical and emotional changes of puberty can help girls go through this stage with greater peace of mind.
A number of obstetricians and gynecologists say that improper breastfeeding practices and misconceptions about the diets of breastfeeding mothers can put infants’ health at risk. According to them, some families still hold beliefs about breastfeeding mothers’ diets, causing women to avoid eating foods that are beneficial to them or rely on traditional remedies to treat illnesses. In some cases, these issues can reduce the amount of breast milk mothers produce and lead to nutritional problems for infants.
A number of women in Sar-e-Pol say that economic difficulties and certain family problems sometimes delay their visits to health centers and their treatment. Social and health experts emphasize that paying attention to the health of all family members and seeking timely medical care can help prevent illnesses from worsening and contribute to maintaining family health.
As Afghanistan needs domestic energy sources more than ever to meet its energy needs, gas fields in Jawzjan produce about 650,000 cubic meters of natural gas each day. The gas helps meet part of the country’s electricity, fertilizer, and other energy needs. Officials say the gas is extracted in accordance with technical and environmental standards. However, experts warn that without close monitoring of water resources, soil, and pollutants, continued extraction could have serious environmental consequences.
In an old house with three mud-built rooms in the “Qala-e Shahada” area of the sixth district of Ghazni city, 16-year-old Mahdiya Qurbani lives with her seven-member family. She is the eldest child in her family and an eighth-grade student at a religious school. With a simple but creative idea, she has succeeded in building a practical vacuum cleaner.
The lack of public libraries in several districts and the shortage of learning resources in Samangan’s provincial center have become one of the serious challenges facing education and the promotion of reading culture. As the need among youth and students for updated books and academic resources continues to increase day by day, limited access to library facilities has made it difficult for many readers to find reliable learning materials.
Fungal diseases of wheat in the fields of Kapisa have raised concerns among farmers. A number of farmers in the province say that, in recent years, changes in rainfall patterns and increased humidity have contributed to the spread of these diseases, causing significant losses to wheat crops.
Although Islamic jurisprudence and religious teachings emphasize the human dignity and rights of women with disabilities, the experiences shared by some of these women show that they continue to face challenges in various aspects of life, including education, employment, access to services, and, in some cases, inheritance-related issues. Religious scholars and legal experts say that expanding support services and raising awareness among families and the society could help improve their situation and create greater opportunities for them.
In recent years, climate change and prolonged droughts have had a significant impact on the lives of people in Andkhoy district of Faryab province. Reduced rainfall and declining groundwater levels have caused many wells to dry up, while agricultural lands are no longer producing the yields they once did.
