Khewa was just one of the refugee camps set around Peshawar city, in Pakistani troubled border region with Afghanistan, a camp hosting more than 2000 residents, built in mud in the middle of large dust fields where men, women and children work from dawn to night-fall making bricks for wages of less than 2 and a half US dollars a day. But Khewa camp has become more than a refugee camp over the last years.
“Despite the hard life we had, Khewa offered us a home where we could go to school without fearing we forgot to cover our faces with burkas, without fearing we would be beaten, abducted, or even killed on the way to school. Without fearing our school will be burned down by the time we arrive there. Khewa offered us the security of a doctor and medical supplies, a doctor that would see us if sick, no matter if man or woman, just a human being ready to help another human being.”
Now all this is gone.
Khewa camp was forcibly closed at the end of 2007,
it’s schools and clinic bulldozed and its residents left
with no other choice than to go back
to an insecure life in a war-torn country,
many of them have never even visited,
Afghanistan.
“Despite the hard life we had, Khewa offered us a home where we could go to school without fearing we forgot to cover our faces with burkas, without fearing we would be beaten, abducted, or even killed on the way to school. Without fearing our school will be burned down by the time we arrive there. Khewa offered us the security of a doctor and medical supplies, a doctor that would see us if sick, no matter if man or woman, just a human being ready to help another human being.”
Now all this is gone.
Khewa camp was forcibly closed at the end of 2007,
it’s schools and clinic bulldozed and its residents left
with no other choice than to go back
to an insecure life in a war-torn country,
many of them have never even visited,
Afghanistan.
Along with courses for literacy, occupational classes are held for women and girls who want to learn weaving or sewing.
Aside from providing medical treatment, the camp's medical clinic has regular programs of health education for women. The clinic’s female doctor educates the women about the importance of hygiene, how to acquire healthier food, and how to look after babies and children.
Litracy courses for women.
The camp's clinic waiting room.
Afghan refugees men waiting their turn to be seen by the camp's doctor. The clinic has two doctors, one male and one female.
Most of the refugees, not only men, but women and children too, work from dawn to night fall in the brick factories surrounding the camps for wages of less than 2 US dollars a day. The 2 dollars will be paid to the individual or team who make more than 1000 pieces bricks a day. Children usually work in teams in order to meat the minimum of bricks required, boy separately from girls. They start work at 6 in the morning, while adults come as early at 3 o’clock in order to make the number of bricks required for the 2 dollars.
