Jebraeel

1. Community demographics

According to key informant interviews conducted with local authority figures, there are approximately 1200 families with 7200 people living in Jabraeel, which include parts of Districts 12, 9 and 13 of Herat City. Inhabitants of this area are predominantly Dari speakers. Local authority figures estimate that the majority of the population are children and youth (under 24). The health profile of the community is average, with tuberculosis, youth drug addiction, female anemia, diabetes, child malnutrition and psychological issues all being cited as problems by key informants.

Local authority figures noted that much of the community have been displaced from elsewhere, but that they were usually not considered IDPs if they have built their own houses. They estimate 200 households or 1000 people are IDPs living inside houses, mostly from Urozgan and Ghazni provinces but also from Ghor, Bamiyan and Daikundi. Local authority figures predicted that the IDP population will not change markedly. Another 200 families or 1200 people are estimated to be returnees from Iran and Pakistan arriving in the last 2 years. Key informants stated that they did not think that many people in the community would move over the next few years unless security decreases and the community comes under attack. While families might move from their houses, especially if they are renting, they are likely to stay within the community.

2. Community geography

Jabraeel is a densely populated township located on flat ground near the highway between Herat and Iran, with wide streets and tall trees. There are no water sources nearby, but the majority of the community are said to access water from a private company 'Kawsar', who dug a deep well and dam. Houses are typically made from concrete and there are several multi-storey buildings. Local informants noted that the community has undergone rapid change in the last 10 years, including the paving of the road, UN-HABITAT paving the canals and electrification.

'Badur', an internet provider company occupies a large building in Jabraeel. The Jami Mosque which serves the community is large and modern. There are also private schools and an office for Afghan Telecom. Another large building is the Qasr-e-Melat Wedding Hall.

3. Economic profile

People in the community are mostly daily wage labourers along with people working in construction, shop-keeping, government (the police force and military), and agriculture. A small NGO hires 6 gardeners, but this profession along with construction roles experience seasonal slowdowns or stoppages during the winter months. A dry fruits business employs 12 females, cleaning and sorting dry fruits including raisins, almonds, apricots, walnuts and other nuts and fruit. Some women do embroidery, tailoring and craft-works at home to earn some extra money, usually on set contracts with shopkeepers.

4. Energy profile

Local authority figures stated that the entire community had access to grid electricity provided through Da Afghan Brishan Sherkat (DABS), and that it was reliable for 24 hours per day. Key informants showed some concern about rumours that electricity coming from Turkmenistan would be cut.

It was estimated that the cost of a transformer, wires and box total 16,000 Afs and 5000 Afs for a meter, with a total cost of 21,000 Afs to connect to the grid. It was estimated that household usage cost 5 Afs per kWh but commercial usage was higher at 10 Afs per kwh.

A small number of people in the community have solar power for when there is a power outage, which happens very rarely.

People mainly use gas for cooking and it is estimated it costs 54 Afs per kilogram. People use coal to heat their houses inside bukharies (space-heaters), with local informants stating that while wood was used in the past, coal is the most popular heating source in the community and costs 12,000 Afs per ton.