We traveled to Afghanistan to visit orphans to have fun together and to collect good memories. We had fun and spent useful days. We had picnics with the children, gave gifts, sacrificed adaq and aqiqah qurbans and delivered them to orphan families. We gave away goats and sewing machines that they can make a living without needing anyone.
The occupation that has been going on for years in this land has injured children the most. Thousands of children lost their families at a young age. Those who have no relatives stay in the orphanages. All their needs from education to health from clothing to food are met. They grow up in healthy and safe environments.
Let me tell you about siblings that I admired and watched for a long time during our visit to an orphanage in Jalalabad. When we sat at the table at dinner time, there were two children, whom I later understood that they were brothers. Our food was abundant. But since our table was crowded, there was only one plate for two people. While I was eating, I was also watching the children in front of me. Big brother pushed the plate in front of his little brother. While the little one was eating the rice, the other cleaned the meat and put it in front of his brother without notice. He waited for the little one to get the meat. When he finished eating, the big sibling ate half the portion his brother ate. He was sorting the best part of the fruit and gave it to his brother. When the little told him that he was full, they left the table. As I watched these two younger brothers from afar, I thought of the suffering in this land. There are thousands more stories in this geography than I have just seen.
Mustafa Erikçi/2019/ Afghanistan