Jobs lost, middle class Afghans slide into poverty, hunger
The Hindu
Economy was already in trouble under the previous, U.S.-backed government, which often could not pay its employees
Not long ago, Ferishta Salihi and her family had enough for a decent life. Her husband was working and earned a good salary. She could send several of her daughters to private schools.
But now, after her husband lost his job following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, she was lined up with hundreds of other Afghans, registering with the U.N.’s World Food Programme (WFP) to receive food and cash that her family desperately needs just for survival.
“We have lost everything. We’ve lost our minds,” Ms. Salihi said after her registration was complete. With her was her eldest daughter, 17-year-old Fatima, whom she had to take out of school. She can’t afford to pay the fees at a private school, and the Taliban so far are not allowing teenage girls to go to public schools.