A little Protection

At first glance, the mud house in Khanabad appears simple, but its cracks and improvised repairs reveal the full gravity of a country that has been in turmoil for decades. Poverty is evident here not only in the lack of materials and crumbling walls, but also in a daily routine that leaves little room for dreams of a better future. Tin water containers make it a little easier to transport fresh drinking water.

Since the return of the Taliban, life has become even more restricted for many. Hope, education, security — for numerous families, these have become things that can only be thought of quietly, but hardly spoken aloud. People live between tradition and coercion, between the desire for a better tomorrow and the limitations imposed on them.

And yet, behind the turquoise wood door of this house, a small flame of perseverance may be burning. Afghan families have learned to survive, even when the world turns its back on them. This house tells not only of poverty, but also of the strength to carry on day after day, even where freedom is restricted and the future is uncertain. | Afghanistan