THE AFGHANISTAN SOCIETY

  Mariam Alimi is an Afghan photojournalist who has been documenting her country for the past 15 years.

Q: Tell me a bit about the photos you chose to share with the Afghanistan Society.

These photos show the real stories of Afghanistan. I feel that If we can find peace we will finally have the opportunity to share the beautiful things about this      beautiful country. 

Q: How has your job changed since 2014 when a large number of foreign press left the country?

During the height of the international presence in Afghanistan there were fewer job opportunities for Afghan photographers. However, in the last few years,  we've had more chances to work on projects on different subjects - especially issues of women. As Afghans we have more stories to tell but at the same time, we  also face problems with access. When the western journalists were here they were able to promise that the stories and photos wouldn’t be published in  Afghanistan, and we can’t give them the same guarantee. Photography is still a taboo in many places in Afghanistan. 

Q:  What are some of the current under reported stories coming out of Afghanistan?

Besides all the negative stories that come out from Afghanistan we now have some positive stories also coming out. One of the main stories is how women’s  economic development is improving. Generally, I feel that the outside world isn’t aware about the beauty of our country and the positive stories that do exist here.