Poverty Forces Zaranj Youth to Balance Education and Work

ZARANJ, Afghanistan (Afghan Verified) -- Many young people in Zaranj, the capital of Nimroz province, are compelled to work while pursuing education to support their families amid economic hardship and lack of social support.

Decades of war have contributed to widespread poverty across Afghanistan, including in Nimroz, leaving many disabled, widowed or orphaned.

Abdul Karim, a 16-year-old 10th-grade student, has shouldered parental responsibilities for his siblings since age 12 after his father died four years ago in Iran from a fall at a construction site and his mother succumbed to illness two years later. He attends school in the mornings and collects recyclable waste and stale bread in the streets until 10 p.m. to cover family expenses, living with his siblings in a neighbor's room.

"I am in class and I enjoy studying, but inevitably my mind drifts to what we lack at home," Abdul Karim said. "I think about how much oil is left, we have no potatoes or onions, where I can get money for my sister’s medicine, we have no water."

He described severe psychological stress, including exhaustion that prevents homework, preoccupation that erases lessons learned, and moments of wishing for death, though hope for his siblings sustains him.

Esmatullah, another Zaranj resident, works days in a government office and nights in a garage to support his eight-member family. After earning a bachelor's degree, he abandoned master's studies due to poverty and responsibilities. "It is difficult for a young person to bear the responsibility of an eight-member family alone while also studying and working," he said, citing insomnia and constant anxiety.

Nizamuddin, a local teacher and education expert, said many students face heavy burdens from balancing work and studies to aid their families.