Arts & International Affairs: Volume 2, Number 2 | Page 116

wearing either mismatched shoes or none at all—
who led us to their classroom. Unlike ordinary
kids who wish to have more toys or fun, these
kids wished to eliminate child labor, which they
explained to us as we were seated around a large
table; kids belonged in a classroom, not in the
work force. A young teenage girl said working in
the field not only ruins a kid’s childhood, but it
can also destroy her future. According to this girl,
working in the field exposed Afghan children to
abuse, human trafficking, sexual assault, and in
some cases addiction to opium. A simple act of
empathy introduced us to a significant and mostly
hidden social issue. The kids did not ask us for
Kids at Samar Orphange in
Bamyan
money, toys, or clothing. They simply wanted a chance to tell their stories to
the international community.
Teaming up with the director of a local radio station and the orphanage staff,
I conducted a media workshop that taught the children how to produce
their own show on child labor. In addition, the radio station director agreed
to facilitate a weekly segment on his own show. The kids expressed an
interest to learn photography. They learned how to take photos and express
themselves visually with a number of donated digital cameras and in several
training sessions we organized. In those photos one could see scores of
smiling kids with hopeful eyes. These photos showed us that here is life in
Afghanistan, but more importantly, the need for empathy to help others. In
this case, empathy contributed to eliminating child labor for a peaceful and
prosperous Afghanistan.
Kids at Samar Orphange in
Bamyan
Kids at Samar Orphange in
Bamyan
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