In the village of Bidak Sharif, nestled in Maimana District, Faryab Province, lives Sahib Khal, a resilient woman and mother of ten, whose life has been transformed through DACAAR’s "Rural Development in Faryab and Jawzjan provinces" project, funded by Norad, which aims to improve livelihoods, health, and quality of life on a sustainable basis.

Before the project, Sahib Khal and her family lived in extreme poverty. With an elderly, jobless husband and a physically disabled daughter, she bore the sole responsibility for supporting twelve family members. In addition to this, she also cared for three granddaughters, children of her disabled daughter, who had been married but now lives with her parents due to poverty and her husband’s inability to provide food for the family. Sahib Khal’s survival depended on renting land and doing low-paid farming jobs. Feeding the family was a daily challenge, and due to the lack of resources, most of her children were unable to attend school.

“We couldn’t afford school fees, and most of my children remained uneducated. Life was full of hardship.” Sahib Khal.

That changed in 2023, when DACAAR selected her for a greenhouse project under its broader initiative running from 1 July 2022 to 31 December 2025. Although the project officially began in mid-2022, practical support and implementation for Sahib Khal started the following year. A 210 m² greenhouse was installed on her land, and she received hands-on training in modern cultivation methods, including planting, irrigation, harvesting, and packaging. Additionally, DACAAR trained her in marketing, hygiene, and small-scale business management.

“I was an unskilled farmer before. I didn’t know anything about greenhouses or modern cultivation. DACAAR taught me everything—from planting to packaging.” She recalled with pride.

With this support, Sahib Khal became a skilled agricultural producer. In her first year alone, she earned   70,000 AFN from cucumbers   and 20,000 AFN from lettuce. Her income increased in subsequent years, exceeding 100,000 AFN annually. This income has enabled her to support her entire family, including her injured daughter and grandchildren.

“Now I understand what a greenhouse is and how it benefits us compared to traditional farming,” she said. “I’ve become self-reliant, and my family’s life has significantly improved.”

Today, Sahib Khal Proudly supplies fresh vegetables to her community, helping others access local produce while continuing to grow her business.

“This project gave me financial independence. Now, people from our village buy fresh vegetables from me instead of traveling far. It changed my life.” Sahib Khal.

She hopes such initiatives will continue and expand, so other women can also break free from poverty and become self-sufficient.

Written by: Israrullah Sahil