Stories from Women and Widows

Read personal stories in their own words from selected women. Your kindness and support is greatly appreciated. Donations and monthly pledges will enable us to do more to help.

My husband lost both feet...
"I  have 5 daughters, Terina, Farida, Nilab, Lina and Nurgis, 14, 13, 11, 6 and 4  respectively. My husband was a healthy man and we had a very happy life. An unknown infection was found in his legs and one leg has been cut off in the ICRC Hospital in Kabul and another in the Govt. Hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan about three years ago. Also according to his doctor his right arm will be cut soon because of a serious unknown infection." They have a lot of economic problems and live in one muddy room in the refugee camp, which has wetness. She is working in the Pakistanani company and receiving Rs. 1000 from which she spends Rs. 600 for rent of one room, Rs. 300 for gas and the rest of their costs are paid by their neighbors and the work of her children in the houses.

Wahida
Husband's name:
Husband died under clashes with U.S. and Taliban, in 2001, in our residence in Kabul.
Number of children: 2
Jobless

Our life style is very weak, suffering from varieties from daily problems to feed my children as I have no one to support and supervise our family. I am thinking a lot about my childrens future to be alive for them untill they grew up.

Naqeba
Husband's name: Daud Jan
Husband died under quarreling with the carpet seller and having personal enmity with.
Number of children: 5
Jobless

My husband was a tea merchant, unexpectedly one day urgued about some business affairs with the a carpet dealer nearby as a result killed my husband in anger 2 years ago. Now I am living with my mother am thinking a lot about my children.

Zubaida
Husband's name: Abdul Akbar
Husband died in clashes of Taliban at 2:00PM, in northern area of Afghanistan.
Number of children: 4
Jobless

When Taliban entered to northern areas it was very bad for all, burnt all the crops and looted all of our home valuables. My elder son is 12 years old doing daily works and tries his best to feed us.

Hamida
Husband's name: Qurban Mohammad
Husband died in bombing fall on our residence cut down his head from the body I also got some injuries.
Number of children: 6
Jobless

After death of my husband a year and six months before we spent much disasters and are still facing with. My elder son is 26 tries his best doing daily labor works if he find something it’s ok if not we are hungry.

Bi Bi Gul
Husband's name: Abdul Mohammad
Husband died at 5 AM, because of the serial illnes he had.
Number of children: 5
Jobless

As he had a serial illness took him several times to the doctor, but didn’t get cure. I was working in a textile company as a day laborer, this how I was feeding my children untill this to grew them up and doing my husband’s treatment. My elder son is married, but has no job has lots of loan from people can’t support us. My married daughter’s husband is a very cowerd person do hit my daughter every time as I forgot my own problems seeing my daughter, though we have no way to solve our problems just crying every day to our god.

Mir Bi Bi
Husband's name: Soor Gul
Husband died with unknown people firing.
Number of children: 2
Jobless

Five years ago he died with unknown people firing as I got his death message after 8 days, I have no one except a 22 years headless son if he got any thing I with my younger daughter eat it if not we are hungry for days. Every morning I go out to collect some wooden sticks from the roads and ways as fuel and returns at night. Our life is running in a very bad condition.

Riza Gull
Husband's name: Hafta Gul
Husband died with a rocket bullet sitting in a shop.
Number of children: 4
Jobless

He died in clashes of Taliban he was a shopkeeper, as my children had no one to supervise them one is working in a bakery getting labor wages and my second son is with  musicians. The life is running so bad no regular food is available.

Lawang
Husband's name: Jamil
Husband died having heart disease.
Number of children: 5
Jobless

Before his death he was advising me that remember that I will die, but be very carefull of my children to not be illetrate and do not feel that we have no father. We are suffering a lot from the all the disasters of life. My elder son is 7 years old and second one is 5 years old all the remnant are daughters. I have no escort and no caretaker.