4 August 2010 - From a boy injecting heroin to children playing football near the ruins of Darulaman Palace in Kabul, a newly opened photo exhibit in the capital city's Babur Garden aims to show the challenges and joys of life in Afghanistan through the camera lenses of 32 Afghan photography students, including nine girls.

“My favourite is one of an old woman carrying heavy wood,” said Abdull Wage, a security guard in a high-ceilinged, pristine white hall where the photos are on display.

“She probably walked two hours from the mountain to carry the wood to her village. It tells the story of Afghanistan, that she needs to do this at her age. She should be retired.”

The photo is by Zerikya Gulistani, a 27-year-old photographer who trained last year with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

The particular photo was taken this spring during a three-month class conducted by Aina Photo Agency of Afghanistan with support from the Canadian Government. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had funded previous classes.

To be eligible, students needed to have graduated high-school, be younger than 35 years of age and have a basic command of English and computer skills.

The goal of this and similar professional training programmes at Aina is “to heal the wounds among Afghans” and to “change the vision of Afghanistan held by the outside world,” said Mohammad Faheem Dashty, Aina chairman and editor-in-chief of Kabul Weekly.

The exhibit “Through the Eyes of Afghan Youth” is currently on display. Some of the photos will also be featured in an upcoming book.

By UNAMA