From The Front Lines

On the Line with: Raihanna

Raihanna is a professional rug maker from Kabul who thinks she’s 20 years old but might be younger. Her childlike voice is in stark contrast to her weathered face. She came to WAW’s Mazar-i-Sharif Shelter because her first husband was killed during the current war. After two months as a widow, Raihanna’s brother married her off to someone against her will and took her children (a 4 year old daughter named Mushgun, and a 2 year old son named Mehedi) away from her. Her second husband, who already had two wives, brought her to Mazar-i-Sharif. He divorced the first wife, and Raihanna and the second wife had to live with him together. Every night her husband brought home 10-15 people and forced her to cook for them. Raihanna was 2 months pregnant when she escaped to Kabul in an attempt to get her children back. Her brother refused to give them back to her. After that she went to a lawyer who referred her to the WAW Shelter in Kabul, where she lived for 2 ½ months. We moved Raihanna to our shelter in Mazar-i-Sarif Shelter a month ago. She would like a divorce but cannot obtain one until her husband answers his phone to discuss the matter. Her brother eventually returned her children to her original mother-in-law who kept Mushgun, but the neighbors informed Raihanna that Mehedi has been sold for 15,000 Afghani ($326.00.)

What the Future Holds for Raihanna
She hopes the government will help her to get her children back. She will beg to feed them if necessary. She doesn’t want to get married again. She feels safe at the WAW Shelter but she is worried about her children.

On the Line with: Yahsameen

Yahsameen is an intelligent, outspoken 30 year old woman from Herat who came to WAW’s Kabul Shelter because her husband was violent to her. She also believes he committed adultery. Because the Afghan government heavily favors fathers in the event of divorce, Yahsameen was afraid she would lose her two children if she attempted to dissolve the marital contract. After her first stay at the shelter, her husband picked her up promising he would not be violent toward her. She left with him, and he broke his promise. She is staying at our shelter again.

What the Future Holds for Yahsameen
At the WAW Womens Shelter, Yahsameen was able to receive mediation for her marital problems, study the Koran and also take basic computer courses. She would like to get a divorce, raise her children and become a teacher in Kabul.

On the Line with: Khatera

Khatera is a petite, 20 year old woman from Kabul Province with a big friendly smile and a heartbreaking story. She came to WAW's Kabul Shelter two years ago because she needed help obtaining a divorce from her 65 year old husband, whom she was forced to marry. (Both of her parents are dead, and her mother married her off just before she died in order to "protect" her.) She lived with her fiancée's family for 6 months before they got married, and in all that time she was never allowed outside the house or access to any news source. Her husband's family members shaved her head and broke her back with the handle of a knife. Her brother said that a good woman never leaves her husband or gets a divorce. Khatera stayed with her husband for 6 months before running away to two other shelters, finally arriving at WAW.

What the Future Holds for Khatera

Over the past 6 years in shelters, Khatera says she's learned to feel like a whole person. WAW is helping her to find a safe place to leave so that she can transition back into the world. She would like to begin her education once her living situation is settled, and perhaps pursue her love of handcrafting.

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