Chawghai

Community leader speaking about the changes in the community –

“It has changed a lot. Changes in the buildings inside the village. Electricity has come, water distribution network and there is water pipe in front of every home. Big bridge in constructed in the middle of river. We have big water pool for agriculture and community people use. before we used to bring water with donkey from 1 kilo meter away. Now we have in front of our home. Currently, we use electricity for everything before we used to use candle and oily lights and etc. Currently, we use from electricity. We have lights at home and we are close to technology. We have access to television, mobile and computer. We have access to safe drinking water which is close to our homes. People become aware and they try to keep environment clean.”

1. Community demographics

According to key informant interviews conducted with local authority figures who used National Solidarity Program (NSP) statistics, there are approximately 300 families and 1400 people living in Chawgai. Approximately 60% of the community are Uzbeks and 40% Tajiks, with Dari and Uzbek being the primary languages spoken. Tuberculosis, cancer and maternity issues were cited as health issues in the community. Key informants stated there was no IDP or returnee population in Chawgai and that they considered the population to be stable with little movement over the coming years.

2. Community geography

Chawgai village lies across a flat area in a valley approximately 7km from Aybak (Samangan) city centre. Mud-brick houses with wooden roofs surrounded by mud walls are interspersed amongst apricot and almond orchards and farms. Non-residential buildings included a mosque and a concrete community building built by the NSP. A hospital is located 7km away from the village in the city centre.

3. Economic profile

The three main economic sectors are livestock, gardening (a term local people use for farming nuts and berries), and other agricultural practices. Key informants commented that people who own livestock are considered to be the wealthiest members of the community, people who farm items such as almonds are also financially well-off, while agriculturalists farming wheat and grain have the worst economic status.

People also work as cobblers or work selling seedlings. Some community members work for the army, and some go to Mazar-e-Sharif and Kabul to work as labourers. Home activities include keeping hens to sell eggs and keeping cows to sell milk and yoghurt, although local authority figures said the latter is usually only possible in the summer when there is enough grass for cows to consume.

4. Energy profile

The whole community accesses grid electricity that comes from Tajikistan and is run by DABS. It is available 24 hours per day and is considered reliable. A DABS representative and community leaders did speak about the reliance on the Tajikistan government to continue providing electricity. After connection costs, families pay 6.25 AFN per kWh.

The majority of the people in the community use a combination of wood and animal waste for cooking because it is readily available in the community. Traditional stoves and tanor bread ovens are used by almost the entire village and were cited as being cheaper than gas cookers. Community members use wood and animal waste for heating and use sandali (traditional heating system using a heat sourced under a bench and blanket). Richer households (an estimated 5% of the village) use electricity and gas heaters.