Heroin addict

02 Oct 2011 | no comments » Drug

A U.S. Department of State report in 2009 estimated there are two million drug users in the country with at least 50-60,000 drug addicts in Kabul alone. Curbing the cultivation of opium poppies, which are used to make heroin, is the goal of a U.S. program that has doled out $80 million (54 million euros) since 2007. That includes the $38.7 million (26 million euros) the U.S. announced it is giving to 27 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces that either reduced poppy cultivation by more than 10 percent or became poppy-free this year.

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Afghan Good Luck Wish

19 Sep 2011 | no comments » people

The Shrine of Hazrat Ali, the Fourth Caliph of Islam is home to thousands of white pigeons considered to be sacred. The spot is said to be so holy if a gray pigeon should join the flock it will become white in 40 days. Feeding these birds brings good fortune. Afghan families are traveling from different part of the country to go to the Shrine of Hazrat Ali for pilgrimage. This photos is a Grand Prize Winner and was selected as one of the best photographs among other photos in a photo contest called “Why Afghanistan Matters” organized by NATO.

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Defenseless war victims

27 Jul 2011 | no comments » Children

Five Afghan children were injured in an air-strike that was carried out by a UK Apache helicopter. Four months ago, 9 children who were gathering firewood in the mountains were killed in a similar airstrike which was carried out by U.S forces. Gen. Petraeus, issued a swift apology which was followed by a strong statement by Karzai who called the action “a ruthless attack.” An apology is not enough and doesn’t bring back their lives. Every death of innocent person, makes more enemies for foreign forces.

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Afghan children

21 Jul 2011 | 1 comment » Children

Afghanistan is the worst country for a child to be born in, according to the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees. Three decades of ongoing conflict have left tens of thousands of children orphaned on the street. The challenges are daunting, especially for children and women. Even though political and economic uncertainty and personal and community insecurity still exist in much of Afghanistan. 1 in 4 children die before reaching their 5th birthday. Only 50% of all Afghan children between the ages of 7 and 13 attend school.

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Girl in Central High Land

16 Jul 2011 | 1 comment » daikundi

Education is a source of social and economic advancement as well as a vehicle for teaching children to be good citizens. She is a young girl in district of Sharestan (Shahrestan), province of Daikundi, who never had opportunity to go to school. For the last years, billions of dollars poured in Afghanistan but life in Hazarajat central part of Afghanistan never improved. Hazaras as a minority group are almost forgotten. Estimates suggest that 30% of Afghan children are engaged in child labor, and discriminatory traditional practices make girls more vulnerable.

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