Occupation and Income

  Written by: Hesamuddin Hamdard

Thousands of years ago, people were exchanging their goods with somebody’s else livestock or other materials and resolving each other’s needs.

 Today, such transactions are also alive in some parts of the country. AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to Faiz Ahmad, a resident of Olia Khan village, Injeel district, Herat province.

Faiz Ahmad says: “I am a carpenter and it is inherited from my father. I started work when I was ten years old and now, I am 42. I make Girdi(a round and flat wooden board that has two wheels, ties to a cow, and a person sits on it and twirls upon the paddies to remove the shells from the rice), harrow, chain, shovel’s handles and other materials needed for farmers. Each farmer gives me 70 kgs wheat and 70 kgs rice as a wage every year. If someone wants to pay me cash, they pay me 3000-3500 Afghanis yearly.

I fulfill my all needs of the house from my carpentry works and my daily income reaches 300-400 Afghanis. I have a happy life and all villagers respect me. I have two daughters and three sons, and I have bought a piece of land and have built a house on it."

Pulao(pilaf) Seller:

Layeq, a resident of Maidanak village, Acheen district, Nangarhar province cooks rice, prepares pulao and sells it at the fruits market, Kabul city.

He says: “I started my rice cooking about ten years ago. I cook pulao at two am and take it to the fruits market at 5 am, then I go to Tahia-e-maskan for selling it, if it remains, I go to Afghan national identity card (Tazkira) department and then to Sarae Shamali and sell it upon vendors. At the beginning, I was cooking 3-4 kgs rice but now I cook about 14-18 kgs daily. My daily income reaches 500-600 Afghanis. My family lives in their village and I send them money and my brother studies university and also I pay his fee too.”