Embedded Files
Overlooking the community of Sar-e-Nili, with mountains in the background
A street in the bazaar in Nili
1. Community demographics
Sar-e-Nili is a village neighbourhood of Nili District, the provincial capital of Daikundi. There are approximately 650 - 1000 households with 5000 - 6000 people living in Sar-e-Nili as estimated by local authority figures and Habitat statistics. The villagers are all Hazara and speak Hazaragi-Dari (the Hazara dialect of Dari), and it is estimated about half the villagers are children under the age of 18.
According to key informant interviews conducted with local authority figures, there are about 20 IDP households of 100 people living in the community. They have mostly come from Kajran and Gezab districts due to insecurity and are residing in vacant houses instead of in a camp. Approximately 120 - 300 people are returnee migrants, mostly returning from Iran and some from Pakistan. The local key informants predicted most people are expecting to stay living in the community in the coming years.
Shura leader speaking about changes in Sara-e-Nili over the last 10 years -
“There have been no major change, but a school has been constructed, more people have learnt reading and writing, the cultural level of people have elevated, there are too many educational courses available now, people watch TV and have become familiar with the internet. These have had positive effects on the people, they have become increasingly interested in the cultural affairs.”
2. Community geography and economic profile
The village is hilly and mountainous and almost entirely surrounded by rocky mountains. The village is full of trenches with houses being built along the soil hills and rocky hillsides. Most of the houses are constructed from adobe clay with wood ceilings, with just a few houses being built with stone. The Lazir River and Helmand River are located many kilometres from the village, but the community access water from potable water wells. Houses are spread out, with about 20 - 50 metres in between each dwelling. There is a secondary school in the village as well as a clinic and provincial hospital, along with a mosque and hotels.
Foliage and wood along the banks of a winter-dry stream, with a path running over it
A double-storey adobe mud household
3. Economic profile
Local authorities noted that almost all of the community work in agriculture, with a few villagers owning small shops. A small minority of people work as civil servants and another small minority work as day labourers. Approximately 15 metalworking and 15 carpentry shops were observed in the community, each employing about 5 people.
A carpentry workshop in Sar-e-Nili
4. Energy profile
Local authority figures and profiler observation note that almost all households have solar systems to light their homes, with generators being used when there is not enough solar energy.
Households use biomass (wood, thorns and bushes, animal dung) to cook and heat their homes using locally produced clay stoves. Some people use gas for cooking and heating.
These energy sources (wood, gas and fuel) are for sale in the local market, with no other energy infrastructure available noted.
Batteries for sale in a store
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