Children in Afghanistan are among the most vulnerable in the world. They face numerous challenges in their daily lives due to poverty, a high level of malnutrition, forced marriages, limited access to basic services, and low family incomes. These challenges have a significant impact on their health, education, well-being, and overall progress. Additionally, some children are engaged in street labor, working hard to earn a living and support their families.

Poverty is at a high level in Afghanistan and has a negative impact on the lives of children in the country. Moreover, many people require urgent humanitarian aid for their basic needs. Poverty is one of the main reasons why children end up working on the streets. According to the World Bank, the poverty rate in Afghanistan was 47 percent in 2019-2020. However, recent data shows that by mid-2022, almost two-thirds of Afghan households will not be able to afford food and other basic non-food items, forcing many adults to engage in low-level activities to earn a living. Furthermore, living conditions are intensified during the harsh winter months, particularly in urban areas due to significant electricity shortages.

In addition, malnutrition is another significant challenge children face in Afghanistan.  The level of malnutrition in Afghanistan is of paramount concern. Based on World Food Program Reports, 19.9 million people in Afghanistan face acute food insecurity and 6 million people are in emergency level of food insecurity. Plus, 2 million children In Afghanistan are in the undernutrition level. HBT’s effort to address this issue is ongoing. In our last emergency response, we distributed food packages to more than 12,000 Afghans during Ramadan in Kabul city and Nangahar province. However, these efforts are not enough and malnutrition remains pervasive in Afghanistan.

Consequently, children are forced to engage in street labor due poverty to provide for their families. They often work as shoe shiners, collecting plastic made items from garbage containers, valets for transportation and many other dangerous jobs. 

Street labor is hazardous and often deprive children from their right to education. It exposes children to violence, exploitation, abuse, and exposure to sunlight which causes serious illness and so on. As part of its humanitarian efforts, HBT is currently offering monthly sponsorship to more 313 children and their families.  This support includes covering the children’s school fees and providing financial assistance to their families, in order to prevent their children from working on the street.

We encourage you to read more about children support by visiting the following link and to sponsor a child or introduce a new child to support, please visit this link.