By Betty Chella Nalungwe
22 December 2021, KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - Children Daniyal’s age in Afghanistan have lived through conflict, insecurity and hardship to some extent all their lives. The COVID-19 pandemic did not spare the children of Afghanistan either – their schools were closed for over a year. Add to that, the events of 15 August 2021, when the country fell to the Taliban, which saw the challenges that children must endure multiply even further.
As food costs spiral and unemployment spikes, many children are facing malnourishment; the drought and poor harvest are compromising families’ ability to put a meal on the table; and outbreaks for preventable diseases, from measles and polio to acute watery diarrhoea are making life miserable for thousands of Afghanistan’s youngest citizens.
While many fled Afghanistan in the days and weeks following the Taliban takeover, many children, like Daniyal, remained in the country living with his mother and two older brothers. They are in the process of adjusting to the new reality – and it’s not easy.
Daniyal’s mother, Wahida, worries about her son’s mental health every day.
Softly spoken but with a telltale glint in his eye, Daniyal, despite the pressures of being a child in Afghanistan, is still optimistic about life. The youngest in his family, he is currently in 4th grade at the Afghanistan International School. He is a model student – partly because he loves learning, partly because it preoccupies him and keeps him from worrying. His natural curiosity is a blessing in the circumstances, his mother tells me.
One expression of this is through his burgeoning love of photography. Daniyal studies the visual art so he can, in his own words, “bring the beauty of the natural world to life through pictures.” He knows he is one of the lucky ones, however. Aware that many children in Afghanistan do not have access to such past-times as photography, he urges his classmates and friends to stay busy in these uncertain times – even doing chores at home.
And, yet, despite his best efforts, the challenges in Afghanistan can feel heavy for Daniyal. He worries about the millions of poor families in his country and around the world and wonders why global leaders are not doing more to spread the wealth of richer nations. Those who win his admiration are the leaders and organisations who lift the lives of the most disadvantaged.
As UNICEF commemorated its flagship World Children’s Day on 20 November, Daniyal shared his disappointment that unlike previous commemorations, this one in Afghanistan was mired in sadness.
Daniyal tries his best to emulate this example of lifting others up; he feels good when he helps others. For example, he asks his teacher for permission to share his newly acquired photography skills with his classmates; he asks his mother to send his clothes and toys to vulnerable children in his community. He strongly believes that every good deed, no matter how small can make a difference and we should all do our part.
While Daniyal's positive demeanour makes his mother proud, she also wishes he had a more carefree childhood.
Daniyal’s eyes are already on his future career and his plans to save humanity.
And in keeping with that, Daniyal closes our interview asking UNICEF to ensure there are more books, more schools, and more educational opportunities for all children in Afghanistan, and the world.
"Thank you, UNICEF, for helping more people – keep on doing what you are doing to give children a bright future and thank you for the good work."