Aziza selling books to eke out living for her children in Kabul

KABUL (Pajhwok): Fifty-year-old Aziza has been selling books for the last 22 years in Kabul to earn a living for her children so they can study and avoid a miserable life.

Known as Aziza aunty, she carries books from one side to the other in her arms so that people can buy them.

Aziza is illiterate but said: “I like books, I regret not completing the school, I really encourage my children to study. My oldest son has graduated from high school, the second son has studied till 10^th grade, my one daughter is in 12^th grade and another in 10^th.”

To a question why she is not selling something else instead of books, she replied: “Book is sacred, book improves people.”

She said when people purchase books from her, it makes her happy but in case of no sales she becomes upset.

“I don’t have good sales, if I sell 2-3 books then I can buy food for my family but our life is difficult and we are facing many economic problems,” she added.

She added her sons used to work but currently there was no work and her sons were jobless.

She complained about some people’s behavior in the bazaar, said: “Some people use abusive words and I really get upset and feel hopeless.”

Aziza, who is diabetic, has been sick from a long time.,

“My message is that the people should wake up and build the country, it has been more than 20 years since the war began, we are tired of the conflict,” she added.

At the end of the interview, she said: “Few years ago in the month of Ramadan, I broke my fast besides a road when a female lawmaker came to me and asked me, Mother! Are you selling books and she took a book from me and gave me an envelope, there were 10,000 afghanis in it, that day is unforgettable for me.”

sa/ma