Afghan taxi drivers beat the heat with handmade air coolers

In the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, taxi drivers are coming up with clever ways to deal with the extreme heat. Temperatures in the city often rise above 40 degrees Celsius, making it very uncomfortable for both drivers and passengers. Many of the taxis’ built-in air conditioning systems do not work properly, and fixing them is too expensive for most drivers. To solve this problem, some drivers have started building their own air coolers using simple materials like barrels and exhaust tubes.

One taxi driver, Abdul Bari, explained that his homemade cooler actually works better than the car’s original air conditioning. He said that the built-in AC only cools the front seats, but his cooler spreads the air throughout the whole car. In a video, Abdul Bari is seen using sticky tape to attach the cooler’s vent to the window, while his assistant climbs on top of the car to secure the main part of the cooler. The only downside is that the cooler needs to be refilled with water twice a day, but Abdul Bari says it is a small price to pay for comfort.

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world and is especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The government has warned that temperatures will continue to rise in the coming weeks. Many passengers have praised the taxi drivers for their creative solution. Gul Mohammad, another taxi driver, said he started using a custom-made cooler a few years ago when the weather became unbearably hot. He spent 3,000 Afghanis, which is about $43, to have a technician build it for him.

Passengers like 19-year-old Norullah are grateful for these coolers. He said that without them, traveling in a taxi can be very difficult. He even carries medicine to help with the heat and once needed an intravenous drip because of a heat-related illness. This year, Afghanistan experienced its hottest spring on record, and a severe drought is affecting crops and rural communities. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recently reported that the drought is making life even harder for many Afghans.

Experts warn that climate change will only make Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis worse. Since the Taliban took control of the country in 2021, Afghanistan has not been included in United Nations climate talks. Despite these challenges, the resourcefulness of the taxi drivers shows how people can adapt to difficult situations. Their homemade coolers are not just a way to stay comfortable—they are a symbol of hope and creativity in a country facing many hardships.