Afghanistan Through Teenagers' Eyes

What happens when you give cameras to a group of Kabul teens? You see Afghanistan not as a place of war and violence, but as a country where children still play and life carries on.

CAPTIONS BY PREETI AROON | JUNE 16, 2010

Qasim Moradi | National Constitution Center

Eggs for sale: Last year, a group of teenagers at Afghanistan's Marefat School were given cameras as part of a photography project with teens at Philadelphia's Constitution High School. The students snapped away, and what emerged from the Afghan side were images of culture, friends, and daily life -- not car bombings and kidnappings. Above, a smiling boy sells eggs at an outdoor market, as photographed by Qasim Moradi, 18.

 

Preeti Aroon is copy chief at Foreign Policy.

JFAHLER

11:41 PM ET

June 16, 2010

Wow.

These photos are amazing and really take a new perspective - thanks for showing this.

As a teacher, the second photo strikes me and has that power to make one want to redefine priorities.

-Josh, http://joshintaiwan.com

 

BHUNZO17

3:24 AM ET

June 17, 2010

Afghan teenagers

it's really a good photo. And I hope the war would stop so the children can live their life to the fullest.

http://www.thelwordepisodes.com

 

GENERALOREO

4:50 AM ET

June 17, 2010

Agreed.

The US should end its savage war so the taliban could let those children live their lives to the fullest. NO BLOOD FOR LITHIUM!

 

JAMESLIKEWOOD

5:06 AM ET

June 18, 2010

its eye opening

the photos really drive the point home. its true pictures are worth thousand words. it makes you think that it is a country out there with children who are in need of all the help they can get, who have ambition and who would be future adults of the country.

-James, < a href="http://www.JewelOcean.com" > Diamond Engagement Rings

 

RSAFSOZ

2:08 PM ET

June 19, 2010

thank you FP

Thank you FP for the real thing when you reflect the inner surface sikis

 

TOOLBAG

5:46 PM ET

June 22, 2010

Future

I'm not exacty sure what the future holds for these children. If the Taliban regain power we will not get to see pictures like the second one here, I wonder if the Taliban will continue hanging 7 year olds. Maybe those are the scenes we will see in the future. I hope for the best. I suppose we will learn what happens after 2011.

 

MEHREEN ALI KASANA

6:20 AM ET

June 23, 2010

Truly Afghanistan

One of the best photo essays present on Foreign Policy.

 

TELMAR

6:20 AM ET

June 25, 2010

Teenagers in Afghanistan

It is pretty harsh when you see youngsters and older people having to live in such harsh situations and makes you realise everything we take for granted and should appreciate more. You can buy books, read, watch tv, get ideas but still we are at the mercy of the situation and need to remember and appreciate such. Never take anything for granted when you see such images.