Sada-e Azadi

People throughout Afghanistan have the chance to apply for help from the National Solidarity Program (NSP).

Do they need drinking water? Do they want to have gravel roads or bridges? All types of projects are possible. The Zari district in Balkh Province is a good example how fundamental projects in villages such as roads and wells are being realized.

“The NSP builds capacity at community level to enhance the competence of people in terms of financial management, procurement, technical skills and transparency. The NSP works under the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) and is responsible to provide the facilities. The NSP provides villagers money for building to what priority was given to”, explains Ahmad Farid Sahadat, who is the regional communication officer of the NSP in the northern zone.

The residents of Kalla Khane Balla village in Zari district are really happy about the vital projects which were recently implemented by the NSP. Hakim Sultan, a villager, reports: “People can propose what they need from the NSP. They provided us the money for the construction of twelve wells for clean drinking water.” He also says that the NSP is a successful governmental welfare program that focuses on the needs of the people.

“Decisions are made by the villagers. First the elders of the area sit together, discuss and finally select the most important project for their village. Then by the financial support of the World Bank a specific amount of money is given to them. The money is spent directly by the council members”, states engineer Lutfullah Safi, the regional manager of the NSP in the North.

He explains that the great achievement of NSP is the creation of mechanisms for local governmental decision making. He adds: “In the recent months we built roads in Bandak, Band Chip and Khon Aba villages and dugged twelve wells in Pokhta Gan Paen and Arab Ballh villages in Zari district.”

According to the MRRD, over USD 600 million have been spent on thousands of public interest projects across Afghanistan since the establishment of the NSP in 2003.
But some of the people in Zari district claim that all these projects depend heavily on the security situation in the North. One of them, Ahmad Ali, explains: “We have good security so it is a good environment for the projects to be implemented here through the NSP.” Lutfullah Safi, the regional manager of the NSP in the North, looks towards a bright future: “We do not face any serious problems, people support us and this is the reason for our success in the country.”