‘Orphanage facilities to be built at district levels’

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Work and Social Affairs has pledged the construction of orphanages at district levels to shelter orphaned children.

Mawlavi Abdul Bar, deputy work and social affairs minister, said this while addressing an inaugural ceremony of an orphanage in Gardez, the capital of southeastern Paktia province.

He said due to conflicts in the country a large number of children had been orphaned or without caretakers. For this reason, the government established orphanages at the provincial levels.

“The leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has understood that orphanages should be constructed for all orphans and children without caretakers, in all 34 provinces orphanages have been built and they will be built in the districts as well.”

Qari Mohammad Rahim Nasrat, head of the provincial Work and Social Affairs Department, said that there was a shortage of buildings where orphan children could be sheltered and looked after.

“This year 600 orphan children were absorbed by orphanages but due to infrastructure issues we faced problems,” he said.

The children of the orphanage were happy with the services provided to them in the facility.

Hamid, one of the orphans, said in the orphanage children were provided with food, education and sports facilities.

Another child Amin Khan said in the past he worked by a hand carter in the city but now here he was provided with education and other facilities.

According to the Work and Social Affairs Ministry currently around 10,000 children were brought up in orphanages nationwide.

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