![As part of Save the Children's cash-for-work project, labourers clean a canal in Jegdalak neighbourhood of Sheberghan city, Jawzjan province, on November 24. [Courtesy of Atiqullah Ibrahimzada]](/cnmi_st/images/2022/12/09/39466-a__4_-739_416.webp)
JAWZJAN -- Some 250 Jawzjan residents are working on a month-long project to improve water access in three neighbourhoods of Sheberghan, the provincial capital.
Save the Children, a London-based non-governmental organisation, launched the project last month in co-operation with the Afghanistan Natural Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA).
"The project was launched on November 22 and will continue for a month," said Sirajuddin Saraji, the province's ANDMA director. "Every worker will receive a daily wage of 450 AFN ($5.15)."
The workers are cleaning "irrigation canals in the Emshek, Maranjan and Jegdalak neighbourhoods of the provincial capital ... so that irrigation water can flow easily to agricultural lands", he said.
The canals were causing many problems for farmers in Jawzjan during the flooding and high water seasons, said Saraji.
The main goals of the project are to strengthen local water sources and revive and expand water canals.
The project was also launched to create work opportunities and alleviate poverty and hunger in villages, he added.
The workers will rehabilitate irrigation canals in villages that were damaged or filled by rising water levels and past flooding, Saraji said.
"Unfortunately, natural disasters have destroyed irrigation canals in recent years, and water couldn't reach lands on time," said Abdul Qadeer, 60, a farmer who owns one hectare of land in Emshek.
"As a result, most double-harvest lands turned into single-harvest ones, and their yield levels dropped as well," he said.
"As farmers, we could not rehabilitate these canals on our own," he said, expressing optimism for next year's harvest.
"We are sure that we will have higher yields from our lands next year," Abdul Qadeer said. "If canals and water intakes are rehabilitated, not only will our water resources be properly managed but our farmers will ... be able to make better use of their lands, and harvest their lands twice a year."
Helping farmers will increase domestic production and improve the economy, he added.
Fighting poverty, hunger
Those taking part in the project consider cleaning the rural canals a major step toward improving their own financial status.
Mohammad Musa Safdari, 46, a resident of Sheberghan, said is working on the project to provide for his family of six.
He said his family was on the verge of hunger after he lost his job.
"Poverty and unemployment are severe, as there are no jobs… I had no way to feed my family," said Safdari.
"Fortunately, I have been working for the canal-cleaning project for a week," he said on November 29. "I make 450 AFN a day, and I am happy that I have a job for a month."
Mohammad Rustam, 38, another resident of Sheberghan who works for the project, said he also faced serious economic problems in the past year and is now happy to have a paying job.
"My economic situation was very bad," he said. "I had money for only one meal a day, and was going through very tough times."
"I work every day from 8am to 4pm. Everyone working with me is poor and used to be unemployed," he said. "This project helps all of us put food on our tables."
"I love being busy working and being able to earn a legitimate living for my family," he added.
"I hope I will be able to continue my job and build my country."
It is really a good place that such beneficial projects are implemented for the people. We hope that such projects will increase and more people will engage in development work. On the one hand, such projects support poor families for a short period of time. On the other hand, it causes an increase in agricultural products that create production resources and income for people in the long run. We thank all the donors of such projects. Thanks
Reply7 Comment
With the arrival of winter, doing these works will be stopped to a large extent, and those workers who were able to get a job for a few days will lose their jobs again and will not have any income. I don't know which organizations and other national and international aid organizations and their donor countries have a plan and program in this case to help the needy people during the winter or not. I request Salaam Times to share these questions with the officials of these organizations and inform us about their plans in the coming winter. Thank you so much for your encouraging news.
Reply7 Comment
I feel thrilled to read such news, but believe me, no matter how many foreign organizations operate in Afghanistan, they do it for themselves and their employees, not for Afghans. They give very little money to Afghans. Or 300 or 500 afghanis per day, which is spent in the name of humanitarian aid, is taken by all foreigners. Afghan officials said a few days ago that any money that comes to Afghanistan in the name of humanitarian aid is not given to Da Afghanistan Bank. So, what is not given to Da Afghanistan Bank, is taken away and looted. In the past, any money that came to Afghanistan went back on its own (returned from Afghanistan), and even now, foreigners withdraw 70% of the money. Otherwise, this section should be investigated.
Reply7 Comment
We welcome any governmental or non-governmental organization that works for us. In Afghanistan, if a water canal is built or a canal is cleaned, Afghanistan will be built. With the construction of the canals and the cleaning of the canals our homeland will be built, and our agriculture will increase. Our agricultural lands are becoming abundant. Afghanistan is making progress day by day in the agriculture sector. The fact that our lands are irrigated will give good results. Our farmers should be self-sufficient in terms of food and our farmers should try to make Afghanistan self-sufficient in terms of agriculture. The Afghan government should try hard to work on canal development projects. If Afghanistan gets rid of buying wheat, remember that Afghanistan will get stable. Our people or peasants should try hard and clear the channels themselves. Don't expect someone else to build your homeland for you. These programs of various organizations are not always available, and you should not expect that the organizations will always work for us, so try and improve your homeland. Afghanistan belongs to Afghans, until we build Afghanistan for living, no one else will build our homeland for us. The past several years have been an experience.
Reply7 Comment
Reading the news of construction is joyful. We ask the responsible authorities to continue works in construction, find work for the people, and solve their difficulties in any field they are in. The organizations should also spend money in the area where it is needed and give benefits to humans.
Reply7 Comment
More news about the development of the country should be published. We request organizations and the government to create jobs for people and pay wages for work. Once an organization (I forgot its name) came to our village, they gave us wheat in exchange for cleaning the rivers of our agricultural land. With this work, the rivers of our farms, which were destroyed or filled due to floods, are built and cleaned. Similarly, wheat was also given in exchange for work. So the problem is that creating jobs for people is the responsibility of the government and the welfare of the country. Work is being done to restore our country and have a better life.
Reply7 Comment
Let there be more news about the development of the country. We request that organizations and the government create jobs for the people and pay wages in return for the work. Once, an organization (I forget its name) came to our village. They used to give us wheat in exchange for cleaning the rivers of our agricultural land. With this, the rivers in our fields destroyed or filled due to floods will be built and cleaned. Similarly, wheat was also given in exchange for work. So the thing is that creating jobs for the people is the government's responsibility and the country's welfare. Work is being done to bring our country back and have a better life.
Reply7 Comment