Poverty forces Afghan families to sell their kidneys, children

• Afghan families struggle to survive amid looming economic and humanitarian crisis.
• Extreme poverty forces families to make life-altering decisions like selling kidneys.
• Father sells daughters for the sake of meeting basic needs.

The looming economic and humanitarian crisis has affected the lifestyle of Afghan families as they are living in extreme poverty and are forced to make life-altering decisions to survive.

Families are selling their children and their kidneys as more than half of the population is facing serious difficulties in meeting basic needs and harsh winter conditions are worsening their struggle, TRT World reported.

A drought in the last four years and conflicts between the Taliban and the previous government have affected thousands of Afghans, mostly Pashtuns, as they were forced to leave their homes and are now struggling to survive.

'Kidney trade'

A local resident Abdulkadir, 38, said he only drank tea and ate dry bread, adding that he has no money to visit the hospital.

He said: "I went to the hospital to sell one of my kidneys for 150,000 Afghani (around $1,457). 

"The doctors told me that if I had surgery and had my kidney removed, I would die. However, I insisted on selling my kidney. Our economic situation is so bad that I am ready to sell one of my children for 150,000 Afghani. So that I can save other members of my family."

Gulbuddin, a 38-year-old man, said that he is unable to do any physical work as he sold one of his kidneys earlier.

He mentioned that he had sold his daughter Ruziye who was 12, three years ago for $3,500 and a kidney for $2,000 two years ago for the treatment of his wife but his wife's illness and financial difficulties didn't come to an end.

He continued to say that last year he sold his other five-year daughter, Raciye, for $1,500, adding that if someone comes and wants his eye, he can sell it so that his wife can survive.