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.
