Residents of Kandahar are grappling with economic hardships, highlighting a persistent lack of job opportunities over the past two years. Daily wage earners in the region find themselves enduring prolonged waits along Kandahar roads, often returning home in the evenings without any income.
“Today, we have been unemployed here for twelve or thirteen days, and no work has been found,” said Zmarai, a worker in Kandahar, said.
With the weather turning colder, the urgency to provide for basic necessities becomes even more pressing. “There is a call from home that I have to take soda (food), but with which money should I take soda home?” Zmarai added.
Mohammad Daud, another worker in Kandahar, emphasized the need for a level playing field in permanent employment.
“If they help us with oil or other raw materials, we don’t want it. We just want them to provide us with a working environment,” Daud remarked.
Concerns are also rising about the living conditions of these workers, as they tirelessly seek employment day and night. Abdulbari, a resident of Kandahar, noted, “They have families and children and need to work to find bread for their families.”
The historical issue of job scarcity in Afghanistan has become increasingly pronounced in the last two years, with citizens grappling with heightened economic challenges.
A recent report from the International Red Cross Federation underscores the severity of the economic crisis in Afghanistan, revealing that over half of the population is affected. According to the institution’s findings, a staggering 85% of Afghanistan’s population is below the poverty line.
