Desperate Parents in Afghanistan Faced with Selling Their Children
2022-01-09
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1In a large, simple settlement in western Afghanistan, Aziz Gul is fighting to save her daughter.
2Her husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife.
3He took a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children.
4Without that money, he told his wife, they would all starve.
5He had to sacrifice one child to save the rest.
6Many of Afghanistan's poorest people are making such decisions as their nation faces severe poverty.
7The aid-dependent country's economy was already struggling when the Taliban seized power last August.
8The international community then froze Afghanistan's valuables overseas and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government.
9The effects of such actions have been devastating.
10Aid groups now say more than half the population faces severe food shortages.
11"Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering," said Asuntha Charles.
12She is national director of the World Vision aid organization in Afghanistan.
13The organization runs a health center for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat.
14Charles said, "Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members."
15Arranging marriages for very young girls is somewhat common throughout the area.
16The groom's family pays money to make the marriage happen.
17The child usually stays with her own parents until she is at least 15 years of age.
18Yet with many families unable to pay for even simple food,
19some say they would permit husbands to live with their very young daughters.
20Some are even trying to sell their sons.
21But Gul is resisting.
22She herself was married off at 15 years old.
23She said she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away.
24Gul remembers well when she found out her husband had sold Qandi.
25For around two months, the family had been able to eat enough food.
26She decided to ask her husband how they were paying for the food.
27That is when he told her what he had done.
28"My heart stopped beating. I wish I could have died at that time, but maybe God didn't want me to die," Gul said.
29Qandi sat close to her mother.
30"Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult."
31She asked her husband why he did it.
32"He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. 'You all would have died this way,' (he said.) I told him, 'Dying was much better than what you have done.'"
33Gul told her brothers and village elders that her husband had sold their child without telling her.
34They supported her.
35With their help, she received a "divorce" for her child,
36but only on condition that she repay the $1,000 that her husband received from the groom's family.
37It is money she does not have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to officials.
38The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage.
39The family her husband sold the girl to has already tried several times to claim Qandi, Gul said.
40"If I can't provide money to pay these people and can't keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself," Gul said.
41"But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them?"
42Gul's oldest child is 12.
43Her youngest is just two months old. Gul leaves the children with her mother while she goes to work in people's homes.
44Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school.
45He makes just enough to keep the family fed. But the saffron season is short.
46"We don't have anything," Gul said.
47I'm Ashley Thompson.
1In a large, simple settlement in western Afghanistan, Aziz Gul is fighting to save her daughter. 2Her husband sold the 10-year-old girl into marriage without telling his wife. He took a down-payment so he could feed his family of five children. Without that money, he told his wife, they would all starve. He had to sacrifice one child to save the rest. 3Many of Afghanistan's poorest people are making such decisions as their nation faces severe poverty. 4The aid-dependent country's economy was already struggling when the Taliban seized power last August. The international community then froze Afghanistan's valuables overseas and halted all funding, unwilling to work with a Taliban government. 5The effects of such actions have been devastating. Aid groups now say more than half the population faces severe food shortages. 6"Day by day, the situation is deteriorating in this country, and especially children are suffering," said Asuntha Charles. She is national director of the World Vision aid organization in Afghanistan. The organization runs a health center for displaced people just outside the western city of Herat. 7Charles said, "Today I have been heartbroken to see that the families are willing to sell their children to feed other family members." 8Arranging marriages for very young girls is somewhat common throughout the area. The groom's family pays money to make the marriage happen. The child usually stays with her own parents until she is at least 15 years of age. Yet with many families unable to pay for even simple food, some say they would permit husbands to live with their very young daughters. Some are even trying to sell their sons. 9But Gul is resisting. She herself was married off at 15 years old. She said she would kill herself if her daughter, Qandi Gul, is forcibly taken away. 10Gul remembers well when she found out her husband had sold Qandi. For around two months, the family had been able to eat enough food. She decided to ask her husband how they were paying for the food. That is when he told her what he had done. 11"My heart stopped beating. I wish I could have died at that time, but maybe God didn't want me to die," Gul said. Qandi sat close to her mother. "Each time I remember that night ... I die and come back to life. It was so difficult." 12She asked her husband why he did it. 13"He said he wanted to sell one and save the others. 'You all would have died this way,' (he said.) I told him, 'Dying was much better than what you have done.'" 14Gul told her brothers and village elders that her husband had sold their child without telling her. They supported her. With their help, she received a "divorce" for her child, but only on condition that she repay the $1,000 that her husband received from the groom's family. 15It is money she does not have. Her husband fled, possibly fearing Gul might denounce him to officials. The Taliban government recently announced a ban on forcing women into marriage. 16The family her husband sold the girl to has already tried several times to claim Qandi, Gul said. 17"If I can't provide money to pay these people and can't keep my daughter by my side, I have said that I will kill myself," Gul said. "But then I think about the other children. What will happen to them? Who will feed them?" 18Gul's oldest child is 12. Her youngest is just two months old. Gul leaves the children with her mother while she goes to work in people's homes. Her 12-year-old son works picking saffron after school. He makes just enough to keep the family fed. But the saffron season is short. 19"We don't have anything," Gul said. 20I'm Ashley Thompson. 21The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. 22_____________________________________________________________ 23Words in This Story 24devastating - adj. causing great damage or harm 25deteriorate - v. to become worse as time passes 26displace - v. to force (people or animals) to leave the area where they live 27elder - n. of greater age 28saffron - n. an orange powder that is made from a type of flower (called a crocus) and that is used to color and flavor food 29divorce - n. a complete separation between two things