Eid in Afghanistan; When Mothers Do Not Even Have Bread for the Night
- Ariahn Raya
- Mar 21
- 2 min read
In Afghanistan, the three days of Eid are usually marked by joy, visits, and hope, but for many female heads of households in the country, this occasion is marked by sorrow, concern, and a struggle for survival.
Some of these women, who bear the responsibility of providing for their families, say they are not only unable to buy new clothes and Eid fruit for their children, but also face serious difficulties in meeting even the most basic needs, including bread for the night.
Safora, a middle-aged woman in Kabul, is one of these cases.
She, who is responsible for four orphaned children, sits by the roadside every day and tries to earn a piece of bread for her children through begging.
Speaking to Zan News in a voice filled with sorrow, she says: “Even feeding my children is difficult, let alone buying Eid fruit or new clothes. Just look at my home, you will understand what I go through. Even with dry bread, we cannot fill my children’s stomachs.”
Soraya, a resident of Mazar-e-Sharif and a mother of six children, is in a similar situation.
She earns a living by cleaning other people’s homes, but the lack of stable work has left her income irregular and insufficient.
“This year Eid is arriving while I have no money at home. I do not know how I will manage the household expenses. My children are left in uncertainty. What Eid?”
The situation is not much different in the western provinces.
Bibi Gul, a 45-year-old woman in Badghis, says that due to economic hardship she has not even been able to buy a pair of sandals or simple clothing for her child. She emphasises that her main priority is only to find daily food for her children.
In Herat, Zarghona shares another bitter account. She says that due to her husband’s illness, she has been forced to turn to begging to cover living expenses.
“My husband is ill, we live in a rented house, during the day I come out, if someone extends a hand towards me, I buy a few pieces of dry bread and take them home. Many times I have returned home empty-handed. Eid is difficult for us, because we have nothing.”
These women say that Eid is no different from other days for them, as, according to them, it is just another day spent in hardship and uncertainty.
These accounts show that for many female heads of households in Afghanistan, Eid is not a symbol of joy, but a reminder of the hardships of life and deep economic inequalities.
