The girl from Herat
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Afghan child Fatima, 8, works from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, starting her long day by picking up boxes of ice cream from a wholesaler and then pushing her cart along the rough and uneven streets of the city.
“My only and biggest dream is to have some money, so that I don't need to work anymore and can go to school and study just like other girls,” Fatima told AFP.
“When I'm selling ice cream in front of this school and see other girls go inside, laughing and happy, I really wish I could go too."
Child labour is common in Afghanistan, with 17 per cent of all girls aged between 7 and 14 either working outside the home or doing full-time household chores, according to Unicef. — AFP/Aref Karimi
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Comments (39) Closed
Nov 12, 2014 02:55pm
Will someone deliver one tight slap to her parents and ask them, is this for which they brought her in this world !
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Nov 12, 2014 02:58pm
And muslim ummah sleeps tightly...I am sorrty Fatima
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Nov 12, 2014 03:12pm
Shame on all the so-called Muslims who look at these but don't try to help them. Shame on me as well!
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Nov 12, 2014 03:42pm
Very touching with those pictures! I hope her government takes action and lets her get education.
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Nov 12, 2014 03:42pm
A very courageous little Fatima. Does she go to school. There should be some arrangement for their studies to secure her future.
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Nov 12, 2014 03:55pm
@mudassar : this problem can't be solved by "help". A kid has got nothing to do with your ideology, religion or identities. He simply wants to enjoy this nature gifted land. Parents have to be responsible. Kids should be product of love not lust.
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Nov 12, 2014 04:06pm
Dear Sirs To whom it may concern I would like to help Afgan child Fatima,and need her Address,will you be kindly to send me the Add so I can help her and make her dream true to study. Thanking you Barry.
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Nov 12, 2014 04:09pm
I would like to help this Afgan Girl Fatima,please let me know how to contact her,or can i have her Address so I can contact her.Thanking You Tandon
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Nov 12, 2014 04:51pm
After reading this I feel l ashamed of us God give many if us a lot of thingsbut we are not share it with poors if we all bbecome dutiful and responsible then only society will improve
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Nov 12, 2014 05:18pm
@mudassar They dont have time for these issues....they all are busy supporting jihadis in Palestine, Syria and Kashmir.
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Nov 12, 2014 07:10pm
Very. Touchy deserves support to start schooling. Please extend your generosity to Fatima.
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Nov 12, 2014 07:34pm
This reminds me of a sermon in a church which I head years ago in India. A rich man walking through the streets of Calcutta sees poor people begging for food with no clothes, semi clad, sick etc etc... He says God do you really exist? If so why don't you take care of these hapless people? He hears a voice...... Why do you think I created YOU?
My friends we have enough resources to share among all of us. It is only in giving that you get.
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Nov 12, 2014 08:07pm
her education...only if we could have lived with peace and harmony...alas
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Nov 12, 2014 10:25pm
you are an Honorable girl , pride for parent and others, May Allah reward you Here and There.Ameen
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Nov 12, 2014 10:41pm
Sad ! Children and women shouldn't be exposed to such hardships. Let God help them.
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Nov 13, 2014 01:11am
Shame on the afghan state for not providing basic needs of the poor people
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Nov 13, 2014 02:24am
@Aly khan I believe the basic food water shelter human and sanitation rights of every person needs to be taken care of, even before education. There are enough resources in the world. And enough love. At least, use logic. The wealth distribution across nations is a huge problem - even within nations. The lowest socioeconomic classes in the U.S. are also abused. Has anyone heard of neural network programming? Love and peace, 10,000 years of it.
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Nov 13, 2014 02:48am
can i have her address or how to contact her in order to help her
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Nov 13, 2014 05:50am
@Robinson , You hit the nal on the head. It is our moral obligation to be of help.
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Nov 13, 2014 06:25am
Fatima comes from a long tradition of Afghanis who don't believe in hand outs. She's brave and determined to help her disabled father and family with her honest hard work vs begging which some children are doing in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other South Asian nations.
May God give Fatima many blessings for helping her family, and may some good hearted locals or NGO give her a tuition free education so she can pursue her dreams. Herat used to be a beautiful city of perfumed rose gardens when relatives used to visit there before it was destroyed by madness and mayhem.
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Nov 13, 2014 08:41am
This girl deserves better. Can Dawn collect contributions from readers to help her achieve her dream?
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Nov 13, 2014 09:02am
I desperately to extend whatever possible help I could to this girl in Afghanistan, or for the matter any other case where I may help, like many other people who expressed their willingness in above comments. Its heartening to see Dawn raising such an issue that too with the help of multimedia to reflect the true sufferings of a poor child. Its a humble request to Dawn to provide a suitable avenue to all the Samaritans willing to help.
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Nov 13, 2014 09:24am
A picture of reality neglected by most individuals in society, especially by those who are active social workers
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Nov 13, 2014 10:35am
Fatima is doing the right thing by working hard & looking after her family. She does not need hand outs or alms. My fellow Pakistani brothers & sisters can help her by saving her from terrorists.
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Nov 13, 2014 11:29am
@Shahzad Ahmed Where is that Muslim Ummah ? If there were any Ummah, Things would have been better. We are all busy killing each other for Power. Member of a family even don't agree on a single issue and you call it UMMAH.
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Nov 13, 2014 12:08pm
@mudassar Shame on Humanity for compelling these children to work.
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Nov 13, 2014 12:17pm
Afghanistan is fully a lawless country. General public have no freedom, but to dance on the tune of warlords and their Hench men.
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Nov 13, 2014 01:58pm
hats off to you Fatima. you are really a brave and great girl and symbol of human determination. May Allah protect you from all evil eyes. May you prosper always. Wish you and all young girls and boys who are in labour class for a good secure future.
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Nov 13, 2014 03:58pm
This is a real woman worthy of all the respect compared to those painted anorexic bimbos pretending to look white.
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Nov 13, 2014 04:20pm
@Barry You should contact Dawn authorities to get you address of the girl. I really appreciate your natural concern. This is called humanity. Regards Arshad
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Nov 13, 2014 06:55pm
You all can help through Ummah welfare trust. Very Good and reliable charity in all countries especially muslim world.
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Nov 14, 2014 01:01am
Dawn: Please setup a fund for her and follow that up with an article requesting help from the readers. May be we all can contribute enough for her to realize her dream.
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Nov 14, 2014 10:52am
Interesting most muslim readers are talking about praying or blaming the parents, ummah, Afghan governament but no offer to help even by one hundred rupees.
We muslims are big on talk but very little on real actions.
Dawn please send me her contact info so I can help. Barry and Tandan took the iniative to do something about a bad situation, thanks guy for getting the ball rolling.
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Nov 14, 2014 11:21am
Reminds of the book "thousand splended suns". Somebody show us a source to help her.
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Nov 14, 2014 11:52am
Ek roti bhi na naseeb hui us nadaan ko..
Par wo tasveer lakho ki biki jisme wo bhuka tha !!!
I am Sad
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Nov 14, 2014 12:21pm
Unfortunately this only one story surfaced, third world countries are full these atrocities. We should what ever we can to for those around us.
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Nov 14, 2014 11:49pm
@ghanshyam
the father is crippled; they are below poverty line, nothing but helplessness all around for them. there are thousands of such cases, who all will we slap? In Pakistan alone there are over million kids on the street. It is the nation's shame, not one parent's alone
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Nov 15, 2014 02:30am
i wish i had their contact to offer an assistance.
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Nov 15, 2014 05:45am
The kid is an angel. She brought tears in my eyes. Waheguru has blessed her already. She is a child every parent prays for.
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