Bibigul, 4, (centre), Naramgul, 5, (left), and Nafasgul, 7, pose in their home in an internally displaced camp on the outskirts of Herat, western Afgh
Bibigul, 4, (centre), Naramgul, 5, (left), and Nafasgul, 7, pose in their home in an internally displaced camp on the outskirts of Herat, western Afghanistan, February 5, 2020. The family often burns rubber, plastic and any other material they can find to keep their home warm during the cold winter nights and days. They cannot afford to buy coal as it costs too much at the local market. Their mother Badungul says that her children are often sick, with colds, coughs and breathing difficulties. "I have to bring my children often to the doctor and spend the little money we can save to buy medicines:, she explains. "The doctor tells me that we should stop burning plastic in our home, that the fumes from such material will make us very sick. But what other choice do we have? If we don't burn these things we will freeze to death". Many in Afghanistan cannot afford electricity or any other source of cleaner fuels for their home's stoves – and so are left with no other choice but to burn plastic, rubber and unrefined coal to keep warm during the cold winter months. Plastic and rubber material releases vast amounts of toxic fumes, that when inhaled has dire consequences to health. The majority of people in the country that are hospitalised by the air they breath in their homes, as families burn whatever they can to keep warm. Children and the elderly are at particular risk. © UNICEF/Afghanistan/Modola20
Size: 5000px × 3334px
Photo credit: © Siegfried Modola / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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