Kabul, Day 5

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Today was "kid day." We spent the first part of the day at Aschiana, a school program that helps the "street children" of Kabul. The Director of the program told us the story of how he first conceived the idea of these schools: "10 years ago, I was walking home from work and a child of about 11 asked if I needed my shoes polished. I asked him why he was not at school. There was a long pause, the child looked up at me with much anger in his face and replied, 'How can I go to school when I have the responsibility of bringing money home to my family. We do not have enough to feed ourselves, how do you think I could pay for school books or clean clothes?'" He said that he created the school so that the children could both go to school and learn art skills by which they could sell their work to support their families, rather than beg, polish shoes, sell gum, or wave incense cans around on the street for a pittance. You can check out the children's artwork and stories online at Aschiana.

We also went to the Aladdin Orphanage, which has over 400 children, both girls and boys, aged toddler to 16. The government doesn't allow photos to be taken there. It looked to be a clean, safe, facility, with children who were as happy as they could be under the circumstances. The staff members that we met expressed great love for the children with whom they have been entrusted. There are no provisions which allow for adoption under Afghan law. There are over half a million children currently in orphanages in Afghanistan.

We then went to the handicrafts market, which sold clothing, jewelry, rugs, hats, and artwork. I also discovered that I could access free wireless broadbant Internet service on my laptop from there - of course, the Iranian embassy was directly across the street, so I wonder if they were the provider, LOL.

Halfway done, and I'm ready to go home already.

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