27 October, Jalalabad. ShanzdaFamily , is an area located in the heart of Jalalabad city, was considered as a rundown place where the local community dumped their rubbish. Residents had to change their routes and paths to avoid passing through the garbage-strewn area. As this situation continued for many years, it became a place where people were not only disturbed by a filthy environment but also were affected by crime incidents such as robberies and insecurity. Children were the first victims, as they became influenced to take up drug addiction instead of playing sports.

The Afghanistan Urban Safety and Security Program (AUSSP) promotes safe, secure, and inclusive cities, and is working in Jalalabad and seven other cities in Afghanistan. Working together with the Municipality and Community Development Councils (CDCs), (AUSSP) identified the vulnerabilities of the Shanzda Family community by listening to their community requests. The community themselves prioritized to re-establish the park as a safe space for their community and renovated the park with the financial support of Swiss Development and Cooperation and the Kingdom of the Netherlands and with the technical assistance of UN-Habitat. . Now, the park is re-established, renovated, and being utilized by the residents who are satisfied and enjoying their free time with the cleaner environment. The park renovation was described by a community member of Shanzada Family who said “It’s a transformation from hell to heaven”.

Before

After

The photos below illustrate the situation before and after the project was implemented. Communities called it a remarkable transformation, from a deteriorated dumping ground into a green and thriving family space:

The Governor, Mayor, and many citizens participated in the inauguration ceremony. The Governor thanked the AUSSP and said “The AUSSP Programme has done an outstanding job in blooming, flourishing, and safety, and we need the programme to support us more in increasing safety in Jalalabad city.