KABUL (Pajhwok): Nikbakht, a 57-year-old widow from Parwan province, now residing in the 10th district of Kabul, finds herself burdened by the weight of both financial hardship and her son’s deteriorating mental health.
As Ramadan ongoing, she calls upon the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) and affluent individuals to extend their support to those in dire need, like herself.
Life has been an endless struggle for Nikbakht, who appears far older than her years. The hardships of surviving in Kabul, compounded by her son’s mental health challenges, have left her worn and weary.
Once a hopeful, young woman, she now looks as though she’s aged decades. Nikbakht’s face reflects the toll of constant worry, exhaustion, and unrelenting struggle.
Dressed in a black hijab with her face veiled, Nikbakht resides in a shared compound with four other families, renting a small room for which she pays 1,000 afghanis per month. It is here that she spends her days and nights, her life consumed by the overwhelming need to provide for her children.
Nikbakht was only 15 when she married, and her family grew with two daughters and a son. But after the death of her husband, the responsibility of raising and providing for her children fell solely on her shoulders.
She once ran a bakery, but when business declined, she was forced to shut it down. After that, she worked in people’s homes, but those jobs were scarce and short-lived.
Now, she sells basic goods—soap, paper towels, and face masks—on the busy streets of Kabul. On some days, she may make as much as 50 afghanis, but most often, she returns home empty-handed, struggling to make ends meet.
Nikbakht’s greatest source of anguish, however, is her 23-year-old son, who suffers from a severe mental health disorder. Unable to work, he remains a constant source of worry.
“If we leave him alone at home, there will be trouble for us and for the neighbors,” she says, her voice heavy with sorrow. “He’s mentally ill. He hurts other children. Out of necessity, I have to chain him up. He eats paper and burns his own belongings. By God, the neighbors have given him clothes, but he doesn’t even have those anymore.”
Her son has struggled with mental illness since he was 16, and Nikbakht’s heart breaks as she watches him deteriorate. She cannot afford the medical treatment he desperately needs, and his condition only exacerbates their financial strain.
As the holy month of Ramadan unfolds, Nikbakht laments the fact that her family doesn’t even have enough flour to bake bread. “We are so poor that I often send my children to their aunt’s house so they don’t go hungry,” she says, her voice trembling with emotion. “We ask for help during this blessed month, as we are in desperate need of assistance.”
Shukriya, Nikbakht’s elder daughter, stands by her mother’s side, tears filling her eyes. “Since we became aware of the world, we have never seen our father,” she says softly. “Our mother is both our father and mother.”
Like her mother, Shukriya appeals to the kindness of wealthy individuals to extend a hand to those in need, just as their family does.
Meanwhile, Mullah Shams-ur-Rahman Farotan, a religious scholar, emphasizes the importance of charity, particularly during Ramadan.
“Helping the poor, the needy, and the underprivileged is virtuous at all times, but it carries even greater rewards during Ramadan,” he says. “The Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘Whoever provides iftar for a fasting person will receive the same reward as the fasting person, without diminishing the reward of the fasting person in the slightest.'”
He continues by urging everyone, according to their means, to assist those in need, as Allah (swt) will reward them in return for their kindness and generosity.
As Ramadan continues, the call for compassion and support grows stronger, echoing through the streets of Kabul, urging those who can help to make a difference in the lives of families like Nikbakht’s.
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