Associated Press photographer Ebrahim Noroozi captured these photos of children as young as 4 years old working at kiln factories on the outskirts of Kabul over several months.
Poverty Forces Afghanistan's Children Into Backbreaking Work At Brick Kilns
- By AP
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London-based NGO Save the Children estimates that half of Afghanistan's families have put their children to work out of economic necessity. Children as young as 4 can be seen working at kilns such as this one pictured on the outskirts of Kabul.
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The situation has gone from bad to worse following the U.S. withdrawal and the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. The country is enduring economic crises as well as droughts that have had disastrous consequences for its population and its children.
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Rahim (not pictured) has three children working with him, ranging from 5 to 12 years. He said he had no choice.
"There’s no other way," he said. "How can they study when we don't have bread to eat? Survival is more important."
"There’s no other way," he said. "How can they study when we don't have bread to eat? Survival is more important."
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Children are involved in every step of the brickmaking process, such as hauling cannisters of water or carrying the wooden brick molds full of mud to put them in the sun to dry.
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Some children load and push wheelbarrows full of dried bricks to the kiln for firing, then push wheelbarrows full of fired bricks back to the loading area.
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While others pick through the smoldering charcoal that's been burned in the kiln for pieces that can still be used, while inhaling the soot and singeing their fingers.
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When asked about toys or play, the children smile and shrug. Only a few have been to school.
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Workers get the equivalent of $4 for every 1,000 bricks they make. One adult working alone cannot do that amount in a day, but if the children help, they can make 1,500 bricks a day, workers told AP.
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The Save the Children survey noted that the situation for girls is especially concerning. Girls are more than twice as likely to be out of school and nearly twice as likely to go to bed hungry compared to boys.
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The survey also pointed to the swift collapse in Afghans' livelihoods. In June, 77 percent of the surveyed families reported they had lost half their income or more compared with a year ago, up from 61 percent in December.
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A 12-year-old Afghan girl unloads broken bricks.
The World Food Program on October 27 warned that the life of the majority of Afghans was "unbearably hard" as a result of the escalation of poverty and unemployment. It also noted that the poverty rate has risen to 97 percent, with nine out of 10 people unable to access enough food.
The World Food Program on October 27 warned that the life of the majority of Afghans was "unbearably hard" as a result of the escalation of poverty and unemployment. It also noted that the poverty rate has risen to 97 percent, with nine out of 10 people unable to access enough food.
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A 9-year-old Afghan girl covers herself during a downpour at the brick factory where she works.
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A 4-year-old girl sleeps after a long day at work.
