Afghanistan 2003
02/14/2003

We returned [to Istalef in the Shomali Plains] from Pakistan 6 months ago. My wife, my 6 children and I are renting the same house we were renting when we fled to Pakistan. When we arrived here, our house was burned, but ACTED (an NGO) helped us rebuild one room. All my children are going to school. In Pakistan, my husband and I worked very hard so that our children could go to school, but we are facing difficulties keeping them in school here. Of course we are happy to be back because here is our home. Our life is bad here, but at least we are free. I am an old man. There are no jobs for me here. NGOs pay people $2 a day to work on roads or build things, but my knees hurt me and I can’t do these jobs. These are the only jobs. If I had a little money, I could start a shop. This is something I could do. I want to work. I need to work. I am living in this bad situation, but I don’t want my children to live like me. All the time I am thinking about their future. I want them to be educated. They are all in first position in school. Until now, I have been able to send them school, but I need to work. My son could work and get paid $2 a day. That would buy food for us. I want him to stay in school, but we need to eat. We returned to our house. We thought America would help us. Even though we thank America, we need to eat.