By Priscilla Chung

Ajmal grew up in a family that moved from Panjshir to Kabul in search of a better life, but financial hardship forced his father to work hard as a daily wage labourer. Getting hired to work consistently is difficult due to various factors, but on a good day, his father earns around £4 (350 afs) per day, which only covers basic expenses. As the eldest son, Ajmal felt a strong responsibility to study, gain skills, and help support his family.  

After finishing high school, he joined the graphic design course at the HOPE Community Centre in Kabul. He threw himself into learning new, marketable skills – from photo design to video editing and Photoshop – and soon began helping friends with their projects while building his experience.  

Today, Ajmal is employed as a graphic design teacher at a private institute in Kabul, earning around £84 (7,500 afs) per month. This steady income helps him meet his family’s immediate needs. He currently teaches at a basic level and aims to progress to higher-level classes as he gains more experience.  

Alongside his job, Ajmal has enrolled at university to study computer science, with the longterm goal of becoming an IT specialist and creating even more opportunities for his family. He is deeply grateful for the vocational skills training at the HOPE Community Centre, which he believes gives underprivileged young people the chance to become job-ready and build a more stable future.  

Just £18 can help provide necessary study and practice materials for our students, allowing more young people like Ajmal to learn in-demand skills and find meaningful employment. 

Between April 2024 to March 2025, 193 youths graduated from graphic design and mobile phone repair courses at the HOPE Community Centre in Kabul.

Give today to support vocational training at our HOPE Community Centre, and help change the future for families in Afghanistan. Just click “Afghanistan General” in the dropdown menu.