Statistically, the highest casualties of war are children:
- In Afghanistan, one out of
four children dies before the age of five, many of preventable diseases
like dysentery.
- Many boys and girls are sold
as child slaves to those who exploit these children in Pakistan and other
parts of Asia. The going rate for a child slave is $14.
- Girls are considered
marriageable at age seven to nine, and many are sold to older men as wife
#3 or #4 to pay off debts.
During the time of the Taliban, only boys were allowed to attend
school. There were no schools, teachers or supplies, however, so most
boys simply worked. Women and girls were prohibited from going to school
or teaching.
At the end of 2001, when the Taliban were removed from power,
girls were once again allowed to go to school. Most classes were held
outside in dirt fields. Pencils and paper were virtually non-existent.
When relief workers met with Afghan leaders
after the war, they told us that, once basic needs were met, they wanted
schools. "Journey with an Afghan School's" founder, Julia Bolz,
heard the plea first-hand. “They understood that to eliminate poverty,
oppression and extremism, the children need education and the opportunities it
brings.”