Sunday, November 22, 2009

Kids smuggle food for cents along war border

Sabar, an eight year old girl, has one of the most dangerous jobs in earth. She takes items back and forth between two of the most dangerous countries in the world, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Her daily rountine involves her smuggling flour from the Pakistan side where she is from because flour is a "hot commodity" since Pakistan put a ban on exporting food to Afghanistan because of the food price spikes. Once over the border, she gathers and carries firewood to take back to Afghanistan. "When we bring the flour the Pakistani police stop us and they hit us, beat us," she said. A couple of days ago she was working the border with her younger sister when a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing several civilians. It was the second of three terror attacks in months at this very border. Work however continues and the sisters keep doing their jobs. They are two of hundreds and hundreds of children doing these jobs. One charitable organization located in Torkham, Afghanistan estimates that about 300 children work the border per day. UNICEF helps support organizations set up to help these kids at the border. The aid workers know they cannot just demand all the children stop working and go to school.

There is also a loan program. Families can take a loan with no interest to start a business. If the family takes the loan they must agree to take their child out of work and put him or her into school full time.


By: Ivana Miljic

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