Afghanistan is poorer and hungrier than a year ago

One year ago Lema had a good life. Armed with a bachelor’s degree in law and political science, the 27-year-old had a steady job in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital. She worked out at a local gym in her spare time. But since the Taliban took control of the country last year, women have been barred from many jobs, from travelling without a male escort and from dressing as they please. Lema has lost her job. Her household of 13—parents, siblings, their families—is struggling to get by. Her fiancé has also lost his job. Her brother’s business has gone bust. She cannot walk the streets alone. The gym is out of the question.