JAWZJAN, Afghanistan — In the northern province of Jawzjan, numerous women, who claim to be their families’ sole providers, have resorted to begging as their only means of survival, appealing to humanitarian organizations for help.
Fatima, 30, from Zindajan district in Herat province, has spent 15 days begging in Sheberghan, the provincial capital. An earthquake destroyed her home and claimed the lives of five family members, forcing her to beg to meet basic needs. “Our entire existence is buried under rubble. We lost five family members. With no shelter but a tent and lacking essentials like food and clothing, we are desperate,” she said.
Many female beggars in Jawzjan emphasize their plight, especially during the cold season, in the absence of a family breadwinner. They are seeking aid from humanitarian groups to endure these tough conditions.
Bibi Gul, another Jawzjan resident, shared her distress: “I am childless, homeless, and blind. I can’t see anything.”
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has reported that approximately 85% of Afghans live on less than one dollar a day. Furthermore, the UN’s office for humanitarian aid coordination has indicated that about 23.7 million people in Afghanistan will need humanitarian assistance in the coming year.
