Qala e Nadar is a small village framed by rugged mountains on one side and less than fifteen kilometers from Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan on the other.

Overlooked and forgotten, Qala e Nadar is small and too close to the city to merit help. Thirty years ago, the traditionally nomadic community settled on this dry, arid and barren plain. There is no accessible school, no local bazaar, no immediate health care, no electricity, no running water, and no literate adult. The community is sustained by some of the men and teenage boys who get periodic work in nearby brickworks.

There are grape vines planted behind the village compound, but because of inadequate watering, the yield is low. This meager crop only supplements the regular diet of bread, beans and yoghurt.

The community is keen to help itself by preparing more land for agriculture, but without sufficient water to irrigate the fields, harvests will always be poor.

GHNI is partnering with the people of Qala e Nadar to to help them with TCD, with a special emphasis on facilitating the installation of a sustainable clean water source. This will not only enable them to grow a wide range of nutritional food, but also provide clean water for household use.

“Teach us,” is the cry of the women of Qala e Nadar. A start has been made.

To help Qala e Nadar, please visit our donations page.