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Afghan woman gives hope to addicts

Agencies Published October 9, 2012
Former addicts serve food for customers at the Taj Begum restaurant. – Photo by Reuters
Former addicts serve food for customers at the Taj Begum restaurant. – Photo by Reuters
Customers wait for their food to arrive at the Taj Begum restaurant. – Photo by Reuters
Customers wait for their food to arrive at the Taj Begum restaurant. – Photo by Reuters
A former addict grills kebabs for customers. – Photo by Reuters
A former addict grills kebabs for customers. – Photo by Reuters
Another employee sings at the Taj Begum restaurant. – Photo by Reuters
Another employee sings at the Taj Begum restaurant. – Photo by Reuters
The employees sit and take a break from their daily work. – Photo by Reuters
The employees sit and take a break from their daily work. – Photo by Reuters
A recovering addict is reflected in a mirror hung at the restaurant. – Photo by Reuters
A recovering addict is reflected in a mirror hung at the restaurant. – Photo by Reuters
All the employees sit together to eat dinner. – Photo by Reuters
All the employees sit together to eat dinner. – Photo by Reuters
An employee sweeps the floors after the restaurant is closed for the day. – Photo by Reuters
An employee sweeps the floors after the restaurant is closed for the day. – Photo by Reuters
Masoma, 25, a former drug addict cries as she speaks at "The Mother Camp", a part of the Taj Begum restaurant. – Photo by Reuters
Masoma, 25, a former drug addict cries as she speaks at "The Mother Camp", a part of the Taj Begum restaurant. – Photo by Reuters
A drug addict sleeps at "The Mother Camp” – Photo by Reuters
A drug addict sleeps at "The Mother Camp” – Photo by Reuters
Fatima, 21, a resident at "The Mother Camp" smokes a cigarette. – Photo by Reuters
Fatima, 21, a resident at "The Mother Camp" smokes a cigarette. – Photo by Reuters
One of the residents of "The Mother Camp" reads before sleeping. – Photo by Reuters
One of the residents of "The Mother Camp" reads before sleeping. – Photo by Reuters
Two men indulge in board game at "The Mother Camp." – Photo by Reuters
Two men indulge in board game at "The Mother Camp." – Photo by Reuters
A former addict dances during a group therapy session. – Photo by Reuters
A former addict dances during a group therapy session. – Photo by Reuters

Laila Haidari, an Afghani woman is using $26,000 borrowed from friends to launch a daring project to aid Afghans addicted to opium. She runs a Kabul restaurant that employes recovered drug addicts. The Taj Begum restaurant serves an array of Afghan, Iranian and Turkish dishes while operating simultaneously as a shelter, while the Mother Camp provides a place for the addicts to live and recover.

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Comments (5) Closed
Zalmai
Oct 09, 2012 06:06pm
Uzbeks, Hazaras and Tajiks are of Mongolian descent. China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan are Afghanistan's immediate neighbors and they are all Turkic people of Mongolian descent.
Recommend 0
True Pakistani
Oct 09, 2012 10:57am
excellent efforts, i really appreciate.
Recommend 0
Adeel Khalid
Oct 09, 2012 12:21pm
It proves! Yes it Proves! Ideas and implementations are not limied to Male only. Great Job!
Recommend 0
farkhunda
Oct 09, 2012 10:40am
good job done by afghan women.
Recommend 0
MANISH
Oct 09, 2012 10:12am
almost all of these people seem to be of mongolian descent.
Recommend 0

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