Freezing cold: Street children seek government support

KUNDUZ CITY (Pajhwok): Street children who collected garbage from streets and roads have been struggling to move due to severe cold in northern Kunduz province.

Sediqullah, 12, who returned from Pakistan one month ago, said due to poverty he had to move in streets and roads and collet garbage asking the government to provide support to helpless children.

“We don’t have fire-wood, we want the government to provide support to us. We don’t have anything at home for eating because we did not go out over the past four days.”

Mohammad Younis, another street child, said he did not have anything for eating at home. He also asked the government for support.

Work and Social Affairs Department Director Mawlavi Ahmad Shah Haqqani said efforts were underway to address street children issues in the province.

“Children involved in hard labour, boots polishing, garbage collection are affected by severe cold weather. The Ministry of Work and Social Affairs directed us to conduct survey and we held meetings with different organizations to conduct the survey. In the near future these children would be provided support,” he said.

According to a government organization over 14,000 street children had been registered in Kunduz province up to the date.

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