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From Suicidal to Hopeful in Afghanistan

Agnieszka Pikulicka-Wilczewska

   HERAT, AFGHANISTAN - Farhad Karimi's eyes fill with tears as he recalls
   the events of August 1, 2017. It was a warm Tuesday evening and he was
   attending prayers in the Jawadia mosque in Herat, Afghanistan, along
   with his 18-year-old brother and a college friend. Suddenly, a large
   explosion forced him to the ground.

   The hall of the Shi'ite mosque filled with blood. That day, the attack
   claimed by the Islamic State killed 33 people, wounding 65. Karimi's
   brother and his classmate were among the dead.

   Ever since, panic attacks and suicidal thoughts have become part of his
   life. Unable to cope with the trauma, he ended his studies for a
   medical degree and abandoned his business. For Karimi, now 26, life
   lost its purpose.

   "Before the incident we had a private business, we imported carpets and
   kitchen supplies from Iran and sold them in Herat. The attack changed
   my life. I lost everything," says Karimi. "I continued having
   nightmares about my brother, as the attack occurred in front of my
   eyes. I saw everything that happened."

   Decades of war and conflict have had a devastating effect on
   Afghanistan's population. According to the international rights group
   Human Rights Watch, half of Afghans have experienced anxiety,
   depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.

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