^[1]KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN: Millions of kids all over Afghanistan work to support themselves and their families. They work as beggars, trash collectors, waiters, shoe shiners, and porters. In short, they will do anything for a little money. Today I will tell you the story of one boy who sells water in Kandahar’s football stadium. His real name is Gulali but people call him laiwani, which means crazy in Pashto, because he does crazy, funny stunts for the football fans.

Gulali is not crazy. But selling water barely earns him enough to survive, so he tries to make some extra money putting on a show. Gulali jumps on the concrete stairs of the stadium, makes funny faces, and even mimics the behavior and mannerism of famous people in the government. The young fans laugh and give him money but the older ones (generally those aged 40 and above) often scold him for being disrespectful.

Some times the older people even kick little Gulali or throw stones at him, but he does not care, because he needs that money, and he knows that if he does not perform his show many other lawanis will try to take his place.

One day I asked this little guy what he would like to achieve in his lifetime and his simple answer shocked me. He said: “I only want a small house where my family can live in peace, with no trouble… a house where we will not be afraid that the owner will come and tell us that we all have to leave the next day.”

I became sad thinking that what Gulali wanted was the sense of security I was fortunate enough to enjoy when I was a child, even though back then I didn’t appreciate it.

Life in Kandahar is hard, especially for those who lost their father in war and must now support their mother and siblings. The only way for them to survive in this cruel world is to work, to make money no matter how hard it is or what the consequences may be.