Afghanistan: the lost children

Seema answered your e-mail questions this morning

This morning we broadcast the third of our special reports on 33 year old Seema Ghani who has returned to the country of her birth: Afghanistan.

We also heard live from her on this morning's programme.

click here to watch Seema's interview on Breakfast

Our final film from Afghanistan looked at the lost children of the long civil war - and in particular a nine year old who has to have heart surgery.

Graham charts Seema's transformation in his films

Seema has shown a tremendous will to overcome obstacles to do good in her country.

But it has not been without a cost.

She has had to leave a well paid job, her parents and a close circle of friends.

"The hardest part of all this has been the emotional strain," she told this morning's programme. "I have a comfortable life and good friends, but it is difficult knowing that there are people on the streets who are starving - all over the country, not just in Kabul.

click here to watch Graham Satchell's third and final report from Afghanistan

click here to watch our second report.

Click here to watch our first report.

Here, Graham writes about his experiences in Kabul.

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Behind the scenes in Kabul
Graham Satchell

This was my first time in Kabul and I had been told absolute horror stories about the place.

The illness, the violence, the men with guns.

But not everything is as it seems.

There ARE men with guns everywhere on the streets of Kabul but they are there to keep the peace. As well as the international force and the local police there is the comically named "1 BANG" the first and only Battalion of the Afghan National Guard.

It is one of the most vibrant places I have been to.

Graham Satchell

Everything you've heard about Afghanistan is probably true - there is terrible poverty and destruction, virtually all the women still wear Burkhas.

But would you believe a beauty salon has opened up - Kabul already has a mobile phone system and Kabul TV broadcasts nightly news bulletins.

It is one of the most vibrant places I have been to. Life lived on the street - bustling chaotic markets selling carpets, hats and sheep heads. Umbrellas everywhere to keep off the sun. And the people are some of the friendliest and most generous anywhere.

We were there to tell Seema's story. A 33 year old British Afghan woman who came to London a decade ago to escape the brutal civil war. Now she's going home. She has given up a high flying job in the city, a big salary and a comfortable house in London. I hope the reports will show a one woman whirlwind, proud of her country and determined to take what she has learned in Britain back to Afghanistan.

Kabul is not famed for its restaurants - we ate out at a place called the "Herat".

At lunch on the third day a taxi pulled up outside. This I was soon to discover was a delivery. From the boot of the car the driver produced cut after cut of huge chunks of meat. A boy no older than eight came out to pick them up. A swarm of flies surrounded them both. Once fully laden the boy marched in passed everyone in the restaurant as we were eating to the kitchen. I looked down at my plate of rice and meat and slowly pushed it to one side.

Cowardly perhaps - but borne from experience.

As we arrived at the BBC House in Kabul there was a familiar look of extreme discomfort on people's faces. Many unhappy hours spent in the smallest room of the house - one correspondent in hospital for two days on a drip.

You do have to be careful what you eat.
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