“I wanted to become a doctor, but I ended up becoming a shopkeeper instead”

Farida, an 18-year-old girl, suffers from a growth disorder and cannot walk properly. She lives with a family of 10, most of whom are also disabled.

“During the Republic, we had a decent life. My mother worked as a cleaner in a women’s bathhouse and earned about 6,000 afghanis a month. My older sister was a beauty salon worker and earned a good income, which she used to contribute to the family’s livelihood. My father ran a motorcycle cargo service that transported goods and merchandise by road, providing for his family’s livelihood, including food, clothing and medicine for his disabled children.

I went to school and had a strong passion for it. I remained dedicated to my studies despite the challenges and bullying I faced due to my physical disability. I never gave up on my education.

However, our lives took a drastic turn one night when the previous government fell and the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan. Bright mornings turned to darkness, and after 15 August 2021, we no longer enjoy the pleasant fragrances of the morning.

The Taliban imposed new restrictions on women’s lives in Afghanistan and my life and that of my family has deteriorated with each new decree.

One Taliban order closed women’s bathhouses, and my mother, who worked in one of these bathhouses, became unemployed. Still, my older sister and my father, despite his advanced age, were able to continue working to provide for the family. However, not much time passed before another Taliban order closed women’s beauty salons, leaving my sister jobless.

Due to the pressures of his work, carrying heavy loads and the constant worry about providing for the family and his children’s medicine, my father had a nervous breakdown. This led to partial paralysis, affecting one of his arms and one of his legs.

My mother currently goes to people’s houses to do cleaning work once a week, and she can earn 100 to 150 Afghanis from her cleaning job. She also brings leftover food from people’s houses.

I earn 200 to 250 afghanis daily from my shop, and with this income, I manage the expenses for my 10-member family. My only concern is not being able to afford my brothers’ medication.