Kabul Municipality Corporation (KMC) recently hired about 170 female street cleaners and plan to hire a total of 500 in the near future.

This is the first time ever that women have been employed to do this work.

“We plan to hire some two thousand employees this year, 500 of them will make up 25 percent of the total number and will be women; these additional employees will further help us to keep the city clean,” said Ahmad Behzad Ghiasi, KMC sanitation department chief.

However, 14 of these women, who work in the PD4 area of the capital, complained that their rate of pay was extremely low.  

One of the street cleaners is Gul Begum who was recently hired by the KMC.

“My husband is very old and he is at home, I am compelled to work to earn money for bread for my children; this is quite tough work; but I am happy with it, because I can earn some money with my own hands,” she said.

These women also said they are not provided with transportation nor do they get lunch while on duty.  

Salima is another KMC street cleaner who says she has to work in order to feed and educate her children. She said she is paid only 6,000 AFs per month.

“I live in a rented house and my children are at school. The wage I get from my job is not sufficient for us, we hope that our salaries are increased,” said another employee Salima.

Meanwhile, Ghiasi said that a shortage of vehicles, man-power and a lack of cooperation between the people and the KMC were among the key challenges facing the municipality.

KMC currently has about 4,650 employees while Kabul city is home to an estimated six million people.