KANDAHAR -- The World Bank has launched two developmental projects to build concrete roads in impoverished neighbourhoods in the fourth and fifth districts of Kandahar city.
The first project aims to pave a 650-metre-long road in district four with concrete, and the second will build 400-metre-long concrete roads and streets in district five.
Work on the projects started on February 26, employing 200 local residents at a cost of $130,000. It is expected to be completed within three months.
Previously, the World Bank had 26 active projects in Kandahar that it financed with $8 million, but the projects have been suspended over the past 18 months.
![Local residents pave a street as part of two developmental projects funded by the World Bank in Kandahar city, on February 26. [Rahimullah Khpelwak/Salaam Times]](/cnmi_st/images/2023/03/07/41053-k_2-739_416.webp)
Local residents pave a street as part of two developmental projects funded by the World Bank in Kandahar city, on February 26. [Rahimullah Khpelwak/Salaam Times]
The World Bank has recently resumed aid and some of its projects in order to provide employment for the youth and support Kandahar's fragile economy.
Resuming the existing projects and launching new ones will help improve Afghans' lives, said Maiwand Noorzai, an economic analyst in Kandahar city.
"In the current situation where Afghans are highly dependent on international aid, development projects supported by the World Bank and other aid agencies help create jobs and prevent further poverty and hunger," he added.
"Most of the infrastructure such as roads, bridges, schools and hospitals was destroyed during the war," he said.
"Resuming work on some of these projects with the financial support of international aid organisations is vital for Afghans," Noorzai said.
"International aid has prevented a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan at a time of economic crisis and economic collapse amid uncertainty and unemployment," he added.
Hope and enthusiasm
All workers employed by the World Bank's development projects in Kandahar city are local residents who had been suffering from unemployment for months.
Noorullah, 31, was unemployed for a year before he was hired for the World Bank project and started earning a living for his family.
"The project has created employment for many jobless young people, and the city will have better infrastructure once concrete roads and streets are built," he said.
"The number of developmental projects in Kandahar city was very high in the past, and they employed thousands of young [residents]," he said.
"But that number shrank over the past year and a half, and we hope international aid agencies will resume their activities ... to help prevent the spread of poverty," he added.
The benefits of such projects extend beyond economics, said Mohammad Shukran, 23, a graduate of Kandahar University's Engineering School.
"Unemployment and hardship have caused many young [Afghans] to turn to drugs," he said. "Such projects help youth break loose from the trap of drugs and contribute to their household."
"Like me, all of the young men working for the projects were unemployed for a long time. With the start of these projects, the youth in our area have jobs and work with enthusiasm," Shukran said.
"In the current situation, these developmental projects bring hope," he said.
Convenient commute
Jamal Shah, 57, said that he is very happy that the road in front of his house will be paved with concrete for the first time.
"Our roads and streets were in very poor condition, making it very difficult to commute in winter and in the rain," he said.
"Our youth who were suffering from unemployment are now busy working," he said. "Everyone is happy that development has reached their houses and their lives will be easier."
Now more than ever, international aid is critical for Afghans and without it, reconstruction will come to a halt and unemployment will force many youth to leave the country, Shah said.
In addition to commuting to work, going to school will also be made easier with the new roads, said Kandahar resident Khair Mohammad.
"Our street and the road in our area were unpaved," he said. "Recently, children in our area could not go to school after the rain, and in the summer, dust would blow into our house from cars driving on dusty roads, which made life very hard."
"One of our major problems has been solved with the construction of our streets and roads," Mohammad said, calling for similar projects in other parts of Kandahar.
During the past years, schools, bridges, roads, hospitals have either been damaged or fully destroyed. All these are in need of restoration or must be rebuilt. We request the United Nations aid agencies to provide as much assistance as possible in the construction of these schools, hospitals, bridges, and parks. With this development project, the World Bank was able to provide work for 200 residents of Kandahar province who were unemployed and sitting at home. Now these 200 people can find a loaf of bread for their families from their monthly income. This work won the hearts of the people of Kandahar Province. The people of poor areas of the fourth and fifth districts warmly welcome the construction of concrete roads in their area. By building these concrete roads, the poor people of the fourth and fifth districts express their satisfaction to the World Bank. When the roads in this area were unpaved, school students could not go to school during the rains, and no one could sit in their mansion during the summer because of the dusty wind. Now the people live peacefully. Thanks again to the World Bank.
Reply2 Comment
I am delighted that the government and the organizations have recently started small projects with limited resources, and people are busy working in public works. There is a proverb saying, "drops get together and make a sea," which means that the joining of drops forms a river. It is useful for us Afghans to keep the river control plans with us now, but in the meantime, we should start with tap water and control it. The purpose of my speech is that doing these small things in good shape, for now, prepares us mentally and physically to do big things in good condition in the future. And if I fail at small things, I will never be able to do big things. The important thing, for now, is to control ourselves, prevent corruption from here, and make the poor people busy with us.
Reply2 Comment