Afghanistan was once a sought after destination for jobs

Mangaluru: Afghanistan, now hit by crisis after the US withdrawal, was once a preferred country for many job aspirants from undivided Dakshina Kannada, who went there to find green pastures. The migration started around 2003, when NATO and US military bases started to be established.
“The offer was too tempting to resist. I was offered US$1,000 (around Rs 45,000 then) in 2010, to work in Camp Leatherneck in Helmand province. Without thinking twice, I decided to work in a war-torn country for nearly four years,” said Jackson L D’Souza, a resident of Nagori. He worked for Morale, Welfare and Recreation facility.
It’s not Jackson alone, a lot of youths from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada were eager to work in Afghanistan to make a career. “Though there were bombings near the camp, life was not hard, as we lived inside the camp most of the time. Most importantly, we saved our entire earnings, and also enjoyed life amidst military personnel, including good food,” says Jackson, who is now an entrepreneur.
Joyson Anthony D’Souza now runs Inkspired Tattoo Studio, a chain of tattoo studios in the district, and says that working in Afghanistan for seven years made him stand on his own feet and turned him into an entrepreneur. “In 2008, I landed in Afghanistan after paying Rs 8 lakh to agents that was borrowed from my friends and family. I was recruited as a foreman with a starting salary of Rs 28,000 per month, and when I left India good for good, I was earning around Rs 2 lakh per month. If I had rejected the offer, I would not have been where I am today,” he says. He worked in Kabul, Kandahar and Helmand provinces.
Many of them have been working inside the base, and were never allowed to step into red zones. Thulasidara, a resident of Kavoor says that he has visited almost all the army bases in Afghanistan. “I landed in Afghanistan in 2011 and worked till 2020. As a maintenance personnel, I had to visit army camps across the country. Life was good, and we earned handsomely,” he added.
“I am now worried and praying for my old colleagues who are stranded in Afghanistan after the crisis,” said Anil Pinto, a resident of Padil, who worked there for three years, and is now employed in UAE.