On the way to Pakistan, the boy saw many dead bodies. Now in the camp, the boy must work many hours making rugs after school. His family has too little to eat more than one meal a day. He said he has experienced extreme hunger many times, has lost many things because of the war and prays for peace.

“ There were some rough days,” Farina said, “and I would ask the interpreter to pick a happy one for me today. Some of the boys were really sad. They lived in bad conditions, and many got only one meal a day, and sometimes that was only bread and tea.” One boy said, “Our country was destroyed. How can I think that the future will be good?” Speaking of the scarcity of food another said, “We are boys. Anything they give us, we eat.”

Despite the traumatic experiences of so many of the children and the poverty they are living with, there were signs they were optimistic about their future.

“ These were such hopeful kids, looking toward the future and being able to take care of their parents,” Farnina said. “They are so concerned about their mothers. They wanted to get an education to make something of their lives. I’ve never seen kids so interested in learning, so focused on their education.”

When asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” many said they wanted to be doctors, engineers or teachers. One boy wanted to be the captain of a cricket team, one wanted to grow cucumbers and one wanted to own a general store. Some wanted to continue making rugs. “Where do you want to do this?” she asked. “I want to go home and rebuild my country,” was the answer.

Other training
The team from the international trauma center ran training sessions in Peshawar for mental health workers from Afghanistan and Pakistan. Group work is not used much, but those who attended the meetings were interested in starting groups with children. Many people working in the refugee camps are employed by non-governmental organizations or the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

Farina and her translator met with a group of Afghan teachers weekly for workshops on mental health. “They are so interested in helping their students through difficult issues, and they are so enthusiastic and willing to share their stories and themselves,” she said.

“ Many of the children perceive their greatest ‘need’ is that there is peace in Afghanistan,” Farina said. “Peace is what is on the minds of these children, not toys or money or video games. One boy said what most want: ‘I want to tell the world not to fight. I want to say to all the people in the world not to fight.’

“ And one shy boy quietly said that someday he would also like a bike.”