Sophie Ibbotson:
We were supposed to spend just one night in Ishkashim before travelling on to Baharak. However, in the night a school was torched in Warduj and, although this was a tribal issue rather than an anti-government attack, it was felt expedient to remain an extra day in Ishkashim to let things start to calm down. Instead, we took the time to visit Nechem, a small village half an hour’s drive away where 11 years ago Afghanaid built a water pump.
Nechem isn’t the e
asiest of places to spot. The houses and compounds are single-storey and constructed from baked mud bricks the same colour as the surrounding earth. We pulled up on the outskirts of the village and, even from a distance, we could see a dozen or so people crowding around the water pipe. Children were filling yellow plastic jerry cans, women and young girls were washing clothes, and a man was washing down his pride and joy: a bright red motorcycle.
The water supply project brought the fresh water from 2 km away to the center of the village. It’s a simple concept and if placed at the right depth in the ground can continue to flow even in the coldest of winter.
Since the implementation of this water supply the villagers (particularly the women and children) no longer have to make a 4 km steep mountain climb to collect water.
The quality of life for all villagers has improved and they were very grateful for the project. In fact, the local councilman wrote a letter for us to carry to Afghanaid's provincial manager thanking him and Afghanaid for this project which has transformed the lives of his village.
We were supposed to spend just one night in Ishkashim before travelling on to Baharak. However, in the night a school was torched in Warduj and, although this was a tribal issue rather than an anti-government attack, it was felt expedient to remain an extra day in Ishkashim to let things start to calm down. Instead, we took the time to visit Nechem, a small village half an hour’s drive away where 11 years ago Afghanaid built a water pump.
Nechem isn’t the e
asiest of places to spot. The houses and compounds are single-storey and constructed from baked mud bricks the same colour as the surrounding earth. We pulled up on the outskirts of the village and, even from a distance, we could see a dozen or so people crowding around the water pipe. Children were filling yellow plastic jerry cans, women and young girls were washing clothes, and a man was washing down his pride and joy: a bright red motorcycle.The water supply project brought the fresh water from 2 km away to the center of the village. It’s a simple concept and if placed at the right depth in the ground can continue to flow even in the coldest of winter.
Since the implementation of this water supply the villagers (particularly the women and children) no longer have to make a 4 km steep mountain climb to collect water.
The quality of life for all villagers has improved and they were very grateful for the project. In fact, the local councilman wrote a letter for us to carry to Afghanaid's provincial manager thanking him and Afghanaid for this project which has transformed the lives of his village.
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