Kunduz: Poor families abandon children on roads

KUNDUZ CITY (Pajhwok): An orphanage head in northern Kunduz province says six children from unknown families have been left in front of the shelter house this year.

Zabihullah Mujaddedi, head of a private children kindergarten, told Pajhwok Afghan News in an exclusive interview that currently they were taking care of about 150 orphaned children.

“We have a hostel for those children who have no home or relatives,” he said, adding a primary school was existed at the kindergarten.

Responding to a question, he said: “Some donor organisations assist us in providing facilities for those children who have no shelter.”

Mujaddedi claimed some families abandoned their children on roads due to extreme poverty and miserable living conditions.

“This year, six children were left in front of our kindergarten and some others were found on roads. We took them back to their homes with cooperation from the government,” he explained.

The official informed a state-run kindergarten existed in the province, but it lacked facilities. As a result, people prefer sending their children to the private facility.

State-controlled kindergarten officials, when approached for comments, told Pajhwok they were not allowed to speak on the issue.

Director of Works and Social Affairs Mohammad Zahir Azimi confirmed several families left their children on streets and roads due to poverty and insecurity.

He said many children were labourers and deprived of education. “We have conducted a survey about child labourers.

“We have identified about 400 of such children and provide each of them 3,000 afghanis a month with the help of a donor agency.”

Khaliq Dad, an innkeeper in Kuduz, told Pajhwok around 20 children brought him scrap and plastic bottles daily.

“The children earn 60-70 afghanis daily by selling scrap of other stuff,” he added.

Rahmatullah, 12, a child labourer, confirmed collecting scrap and plastic bottles. “I’m the only breadwinner in the family. I cannot afford going to school.”

sa/mud

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