KABUL, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- As the world is going to observe the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Thursday, poverty still haunts local people in post-war Afghanistan.
Decades of foreign invasions, internal conflicts, and civil strife have left Afghanistan in a state of devastation, displacement, and extreme poverty.
"I've been living here for 20 years, facing countless challenges. We have no jobs, yet there are 10 people in my family," Abdul Zahir, a Kabul resident, told Xinhua.
Zahir, who fled the conflict in his native Kunduz province, now lives in a slum in Kabul. With a heavy heart, he described the grim reality for families like his, where food is a constant concern.
"When life is better, there's food on the table. But when we're jobless, we might eat one day and go hungry for the next two," said Zahir.
The 48-year-old mason explained that he hadn't found a stable job in three years. "Every day I go to the city square looking for a job, but I return empty-handed."
"I can earn 150 to 200 afghani (about 2.25 to 3 U.S. dollars) a day," said Chinar Gul, a shoemaker. "But what can I buy with that? Even if I get flour, I can't afford oil, sugar, or tea."
Gul, originally from the war-torn Helmand province, has lived in Kabul for 18 years. The war, he said, had consumed everything he had, leaving him in deep poverty.
"Our situation is clear: if we have dinner, we don't have breakfast, and if we have breakfast, there's no dinner," said Gul, who is supporting a 14-member family.
A United Nations report by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in August revealed that 23.7 million Afghans, over half of the country's population, need humanitarian assistance, and 48 percent live below the poverty line.
Afghanistan's caretaker administration has launched development projects, including canals, mining, and roads, to create jobs and reduce poverty. However, locals believe it will take years to overcome the challenges.
Mawlawi Mudassir Hamraz, spokesperson for the Afghan Red Crescent Society, told Xinhua, "Afghanistan is still a war-ravaged country, struggling to stand on its own."
Hamraz urged aid agencies and donor nations to support those in need in Afghanistan. ■