Zahara and baby Karim
Zahara was regularly beaten by her husband. Sometimes daily, and very viciously. The beatings continued even after she gave birth to her boy, Karim. Unable to reconcile the problem through family mediation - which always led to more beatings - and after several years of abuse and violence, Zahara became depressed. Divorce is not an option for women living with poverty in Afghanistan.
Zahara tried to escape her depression in an affair with another man. But she was caught. As the other man fled from the house, Zahara was left to defend herself against a violent husband. During the attack Zahara tried to protect herself, picked up a pestle and lashed out with it. Unfortunately, the blow hit the man in the head and he later died.
Zahara was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
By tradition, religion and the law, it is Zahara's husband's family that is required to take responsibility for baby Karim. But Zahara feared that they would harm him in order to get back at her. Perhaps one of her husband's relatives would claim that baby Karim was not of Zahara's marriage and so dishonoured the family. That would lead to the murder of baby Karim. So Zahara took baby Karim into prison with her. There are more than 30 children accompanying their mothers in Herat prison. Some of them were even born there.
Zahara has been in prison with Karim for two and a half years. Karim does not have proper food. Hygiene is poor and there is no access to recreational facilities.
Previously, strict policies limited visitation of Zahara's family to once a week. Her family is poor and can barely afford to bring food to supplement her and Karim's diet.
War Child has built a kindergarten for children like Karim. During the day, the kindergarten provides care for more than 30 children accompanying their mothers in prison, and for a further 40 children from vulnerable families. This means that Karim gets to play with children from the wider community every day. It is the only kindergarten of its kind in the whole of Afghanistan.
Karim is picked up in the morning by the War Child mini-bus. He stands just within the prison gates, excitedly, with the other children. They go to the kindergarten where they have swings and slides to play on, footballs and other toys. They sing and listen to stories and nursery rhymes. They are supervised with their play sessions which help them to learn how to develop relationships with other children in a positive way. This is vital work in helping Karim and the other children deal with the institutionalisation they experience within the prison system.
War Child has trained the kindergarten staff in teaching and child care skills. The staff now provide early childhood education and basic life skills, such as traffic awareness (traffic is the single largest killer of children in Herat) for the children. And all the kids get to go out on field trips, supervised by War Child, to the local park.
The children have a full lunch at the kindergarten everyday, and receive high energy biscuits that are fortified with vitamins. In the case of serious and emergency health issues the children are supported by War Child.
Once a month, as a treat, local musicians are brought to the kindergarten to play for the children. Lots of singing, dancing, playing and high spirits.
Karima's clothes are washed on a regular basis - Zahara is unable to access water and soap in the prison without paying for it - at the kindergarten. He also receives new clothes from War Child on a regular basis.
War Child staff visit the prison once a week to monitor the condition of Zahara and other women with children, talk them through how their child is developing during their daily visits to the kindergarten and to answer questions. Basic child care training is also provided for the mothers.