Girls attend lessons at their orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 10, 2021. Orphanages like this play an outsize role in Afghanistan, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in wars that have ravaged the country for more than 40 years. The lack of funding, which has hit charities, non-governmental organisations and ordinary Afghans since the hardline Islamist Taliban movement took back control of the country, is forcing orphanage director Ahmad Khalil Mayan (not pictured) into tough choices. "Before we were providing them twice a week fruit and twice a week meat, but we cut those items to just once a week or maybe not even (that much)".REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Children attend lessons at their orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 10, 2021. Orphanages like this play an outsize role in Afghanistan, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in wars that have ravaged the country for more than 40 years. The lack of funding, which has hit charities, non-governmental organisations and ordinary Afghans since the hardline Islamist Taliban movement took back control of the country, is forcing orphanage director Ahmad Khalil Mayan (not pictured) into tough choices. "Before we were providing them twice a week fruit and twice a week meat, but we cut those items to just once a week or maybe not even (that much)". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Samira, 9, and other children from the orphanage, ride the bus to school in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 12, 2021. Samira wants to be a doctor when she grows up. "I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she says with a sheepish grin. Because of her age, Samira is still able to go to school outside the orphanage, and is already taking extra classes in order to get ahead. Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study. "I am not allowed to study here". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Mutiullah and Aminullah get ready for school inside their room at the orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan October 12, 2021. Orphanages like this play an outsize role in Afghanistan, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in wars that have ravaged the country for more than 40 years. The lack of funding, which has hit charities, non-governmental organisations and ordinary Afghans since the hardline Islamist Taliban movement took back control of the country, is forcing orphanage director Ahmad Khalil Mayan (not pictured) into tough choices. "Before we were providing them twice a week fruit and twice a week meat, but we cut those items to just once a week or maybe not even (that much)". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Samira, 9, plays on a swing after school at the orphanage, in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 12, 2021. Samira wants to be a doctor when she grows up. "I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she says with a sheepish grin. Because of her age, Samira is still able to go to school outside the orphanage, and is already taking extra classes in order to get ahead. Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study. "I am not allowed to study here". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Children play at the orphanage after school in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 12, 2021. Orphanages like this play an outsize role in Afghanistan, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in wars that have ravaged the country for more than 40 years. The lack of funding, which has hit charities, non-governmental organisations and ordinary Afghans since the hardline Islamist Taliban movement took back control of the country, is forcing orphanage director Ahmad Khalil Mayan (not pictured) into tough choices. "Before we were providing them twice a week fruit and twice a week meat, but we cut those items to just once a week or maybe not even (that much)". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Children attend lessons at their orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 10, 2021. Orphanages like this play an outsize role in Afghanistan, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in wars that have ravaged the country for more than 40 years. The lack of funding, which has hit charities, non-governmental organisations and ordinary Afghans since the hardline Islamist Taliban movement took back control of the country, is forcing orphanage director Ahmad Khalil Mayan (not pictured) into tough choices. "Before we were providing them twice a week fruit and twice a week meat, but we cut those items to just once a week or maybe not even (that much)". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Golshan, a childcare worker at the orphanage, serves the children tea and bread for breakfast in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 12, 2021. Orphanages like this play an outsize role in Afghanistan, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in wars that have ravaged the country for more than 40 years. The lack of funding, which has hit charities, non-governmental organisations and ordinary Afghans since the hardline Islamist Taliban movement took back control of the country, is forcing orphanage director Ahmad Khalil Mayan (not pictured) into tough choices. "Before we were providing them twice a week fruit and twice a week meat, but we cut those items to just once a week or maybe not even (that much)". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Samira, 9, and Aminullah help each other with homework at the orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 10, 2021. Samira wants to be a doctor when she grows up. "I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she says with a sheepish grin. Because of her age, Samira is still able to go to school outside the orphanage, and is already taking extra classes in order to get ahead. Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study. "I am not allowed to study here". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Samira, 9, has tea and bread for breakfast before school at the orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 12, 2021. Samira wants to be a doctor when she grows up. "I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she says with a sheepish grin. Because of her age, Samira is still able to go to school outside the orphanage, and is already taking extra classes in order to get ahead. Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study. "I am not allowed to study here". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Samira, 9, and other children share tea and bread for breakfast at the orphanage before going to school in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 12, 2021. Samira wants to be a doctor when she grows up. "I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she says with a sheepish grin. Because of her age, Samira is still able to go to school outside the orphanage, and is already taking extra classes in order to get ahead. Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study. "I am not allowed to study here". REUTERS/Jorge Silva.

Golshan, a childcare worker, gets the children ready for school at the orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 12, 2021. Orphanages like this play an outsize role in Afghanistan, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in wars that have ravaged the country for more than 40 years. The lack of funding, which has hit charities, non-governmental organisations and ordinary Afghans since the hardline Islamist Taliban movement took back control of the country, is forcing orphanage director Ahmad Khalil Mayan (not pictured) into tough choices. "Before we were providing them twice a week fruit and twice a week meat, but we cut those items to just once a week or maybe not even (that much)". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Samira, 9, plays on a slide at the orphanage after school in Kabul, Afghanistan October 12, 2021. Samira wants to be a doctor when she grows up. "I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she says with a sheepish grin. Because of her age, Samira is still able to go to school outside the orphanage, and is already taking extra classes in order to get ahead. Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study. "I am not allowed to study here". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Samira, 9, poses for a photo in the living room at her orphanage, in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 10, 2021. Samira wants to be a doctor when she grows up. "I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she says with a sheepish grin. Because of her age, Samira is still able to go to school outside the orphanage, and is already taking extra classes in order to get ahead. Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study. "I am not allowed to study here". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Samira, 9, plays with a friend at the orphanage after school, in Kabul, Afghanistan October 12, 2021. Samira wants to be a doctor when she grows up. "I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she says with a sheepish grin. Because of her age, Samira is still able to go to school outside the orphanage, and is already taking extra classes in order to get ahead. Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study. "I am not allowed to study here". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Ahmad Khalil Mayan, 40, the director of the orphanage, reviews school notes with a girl, in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 12, 2021. Mayan says he is cutting back on the amount of fruit and meat he gives the children each week because the orphanage is running out of money. Since the Afghan Taliban seized control of the country and millions of dollars in aid suddenly dried up, he has been desperately calling and emailing donors, both foreign and local, who supported him before.?"Unfortunately, most of them have left the country" he said "We are now trying to run the place with very little money and with little food". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

A girl at the orphanage helps Samira, 9, put on her chaddor before going to school, in her room at the orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 12, 2021. Samira wants to be a doctor when she grows up. "I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she says with a sheepish grin. Because of her age, Samira is still able to go to school outside the orphanage, and is already taking extra classes in order to get ahead. Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study. "I am not allowed to study here". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Samira, 9, and other children from the orphanage walk to the school bus in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 12, 2021. Samira wants to be a doctor when she grows up. "I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she says with a sheepish grin. Because of her age, Samira is still able to go to school outside the orphanage, and is already taking extra classes in order to get ahead. Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study. "I am not allowed to study here". REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Samira, 9, and a friend walk to Samira's house after attending lessons at the orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 10, 2021. Samira wants to be a doctor when she grows up. "I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she says with a sheepish grin. Because of her age, Samira is still able to go to school outside the orphanage, and is already taking extra classes in order to get ahead. Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study. "I am not allowed to study here". REUTERS/Jorge Silva