The takeover of government by the Taliban in August 2021 resulted in severe socio-economic crisis, resulting in multiple challenges such as increased poverty, food insecurity, and economic decline. Moreover, frequent natural disasters continued to affect the lives and livelihoods of Afghan communities. In the face of all these adversities, the Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA) emerged as a beacon of hope, empowering individuals with livelihood opportunities and supporting Afghan communities with health, education services, and clean energy. 

Project Signboard in Gardez City Market where Cabin shops are placed, 17 July 2024. 

To respond to the growing needs, and ensure long-term sustainability, the STFA kicked off in 2021. As one of 17 participating UN organizations, UN-Habitat has been actively working in all target regions of STFA, making a significant impact on the lives of Afghans and their communities. 

STFA provides the UN in Afghanistan with a flexible delivery mechanism and an integrated approach that addresses both the current priority needs and responds to emerging needs. 

View of gardez city where 90 cabin shops are setup for roadside vendors, 10 July 2024.

Using STFA funding in the Southeast region, UN-Habitat has constructed 90 cabin shops in Gardez city, Paktya province to support the livelihoods of vendors in the city.  

“The cabin shops not only provided livelihood and earning opportunity for vendors but also significantly improved the city’s view and facilitated good shopping experience for customers” said Sayed Sadullah, National Programme Manager at UN-Habitat Afghanistan.  

The cabin shops have been provided to existing vendors like Salih Rahim who used to move around Gardez city selling his goods. 

“I have been in this small business since I migrated to Gardez city 20 years ago from my hometown, Zurmat. I’ve always struggled to settle in one location and afford a shop or cabin to make customers and a reputation for myself.” Said Salih Rahim an IDP, one of the cabin shop beneficiaries. 

The cabin shops have not only provided safe spaces for the vendors to sell their goods, but they have also helped to plan the public road spaces improving the safety of both the vendors and customers. 

Salih is 40 years old and supports a family of 15 members,“I used to move around the traffic to sell my goods and sometimes the municipal officers would move us away to decongest the city center, but these places did not have customers, and this affected my daily sales. During the harsh winters in Gardez which sometimes last for 7 months, I was not able to sell anything as I could not protect my goods from rain and snow.” he stated. 

UN-Habitat is grateful to STFA for its generous support that has enabled vendors like Salih to have a safe place to conduct their business. This support also builds on UN-Habitat’s long-standing efforts to provide access to safe public spaces in Afghan cities. 

“I am grateful for the support provided. I have now settled in one location that has enabled my customers to know my business address.” 

Disclaimers: 

About STFA: 

The Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA) is an inter-agency mechanism that supports UN organizations to ‘Deliver as One’ in the provision of basic human needs support in Afghanistan within the Humanitarian, Development and Peace nexus. The STFA focuses on a community-centric, area-based approach, emphasizing essential services, livelihoods, and social cohesion aligned with the UN Strategic Framework for Afghanistan ensuring the interventions are not only immediate but also durable and inclusive. STFA’s work is made possible by the generous contributions of donors including the governments of Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Sweden, Turkey, and UNDP. 

Boilerplate: 

Since 1992, UN-Habitat has been actively working with Afghanistan’s government, municipal, and Afghan communities, contributing to the physical and social reconstruction of the country.  

Focused on assisting the stakeholders in the development of urban policies and regulations; strategic urban planning; increasing municipal revenue; establishing community-based organizations; addressing the land and housing needs of IDPs and returnees and contributing to the provision of basic urban services, UN-Habitat’s work has contributed to making Afghan communities, cities, and towns more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.