Ramadan under shadow of poverty: Nimroz mothers struggle to feed children

ZARANJ (Pajhwok): While the month of Ramadan brings colourful iftar tables for many families, in some parts of Zaranj, the capital of northwestern Nimroz province, women live in conditions so dire that they cannot even feed their children. They are appealing for help.

Bitter stories from some mothers

Hafiza (a pseudonym), a mother of six children who gave birth to twins three months ago, says her two infants are suffering from malnutrition due to a lack of food.

Her husband has gone to work in Iran and, according to Hafiza, sends only three to four thousand Afghanis every two to three months—a sum she says is insufficient to cover household expenses, including rent, bread, medicine and baby formula.

She explains that due to the lack of food, her milk supply has diminished, leaving her unable to meet her infants’ needs, and her children cry from hunger throughout the night.

Hafiza added that, to buy a single tin of baby formula, she had to sell her house rug, valued at around one thousand Afghanis, for only 300 Afghanis.

She said she now has only one kilogram of flour left in her house, and sometimes neighbours help her if they have extra food. She pays three thousand Afghanis per month for rent, but for the past four months has been unable to do so due to lack of money, and her landlord has asked her to vacate the house.

Hafiza says she does not know where she and her six children will go if forced to leave. However, Hafiza is not the only mother suffering from poverty.

Nadia Noori, a resident of Masoomabad village in Zaranj, says she is the head of her four-member household because her husband left due to addiction and has not returned for two years.

Noori, who works day and night as a seamstress to support her children and father-in-law, says: “In our house, there is no meat or rice. Now, during Ramadan, we have nothing proper to eat. In two months, I have stitched a set of clothes worth two thousand Afghanis. Should I spend it on flour and oil, or pay for water, electricity, and rent?”

Her father-in-law is a shoemaker, and often returns home empty-handed. She calls on government officials, traders, and charitable organisations to identify needy families like hers and provide assistance.

Setara, another resident of Zaranj whose husband died in a traffic accident five years ago, is the sole breadwinner for her five-member family. She says: “Most nights, we do not wake for suhoor [pre-dawn meal].”

Setara had fried a few tomatoes in oil for iftar and said: “There is nothing in our house. I cooked these few tomatoes so we could have something for iftar and suhoor. We do not get full, but we have no choice because there is nothing else to eat.”

She works in people’s homes daily to earn a meagre income, which is enough only to buy a little bread, sugar, and tea. Complaining about rising food prices, Setara says: “I can no longer afford potatoes and vegetables. Most nights we skip suhoor because there is nothing in the house.”

She added that neighbours sometimes share extra food with her family. Setara urges charitable organisations, traders, and government officials to pay attention to the plight of needy families.

Religious Scholar: Helping the needy is a duty

Mawlawi Gul Ahmad Ahmadi, a religious scholar in Nimroz province, said: “Zakat [almsgiving] is one of the fundamental pillars of Islam. Every Muslim, man or woman, who possesses wealth above the minimum threshold is obliged to pay it. This is not merely a personal or governmental matter; it is a divine command.”

He added that wealthy individuals who do not pay zakat despite having assets will be held accountable before God.

Referring to a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Mawlawi Ahmadi said: “If someone does not pay zakat, it is as if they have kindled a fire in their wealth, a fire that gradually diminishes its blessings. Paying zakat and giving charity does not reduce wealth; rather, it brings barakah [blessing] and increases it.”

He also urged traders and those with means to pay more attention to poor families during Ramadan.

Meanwhile, some charitable organisations and wealthy individuals already provide assistance to needy families during Ramadan and throughout the year.

hz/sa