Ayno Maina

{{Short description|Planned town near Kandahar, Afghanistan}} [[File:Aino Mina housing model.jpg|thumb|The original miniature of the Ayno Maina planned community project, which began in 2003 by Mahmud Karzai and associates<ref name=":2" />]] '''Ayno Maina''', also written as '''Aino Maina''' ({{langx|prs|عینو مینه}}; {{langx|ps|عینو مینه}}), is a planned gated community in the northeastern section of Kandahar, Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.kpbs.org/news/international/2008/03/03/a-slice-of-u-s-suburbia-springs-up-in-afghanistan |title=A Slice of U.S. Suburbia Springs Up in Afghanistan |publisher=KPBS (TV) |date=March 3, 2008 |access-date=2026-02-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2008/03/03/87858936/a-slice-of-u-s-suburbia-springs-up-in-afghanistan |title=A Slice of U.S. Suburbia Springs Up in Afghanistan |publisher=NPR |date=March 3, 2008 |access-date=2026-02-13}}</ref> The housing development project began in 2003 with the aim of building over 20,000 family homes.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ainomaina.com/ |title=Aino Maina - Real Estate Professional |website=Aino Maina |access-date=2025-02-06}}</ref> It became a "leading example of reconstruction and development in Afghanistan."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/president-orders-assessment-kandahar%E2%80%99s-aino-mina-township |title=President Orders Assessment Of Kandahar's Aino Mina Township |work=TOLOnews |date=24 November 2017 |access-date=2026-02-13}}</ref> The community has various types of houses and apartments for the working class,<ref>{{YouTube|rf7yLwQ3rZ8|Exclusive $85K Apartment for Sale in Kandahar, Afghanistan / Amar Complex, Aino Mena}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|TIUOslbgLWs|Ramadan Night in Kandahar City Modern Town 2026 / دروژی ماښام او نوی کندهار ښار}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|W0fHK6zocAQ|عینومینه ABC سړکان Aino Maina ABC Roads}}</ref> the middle class,<ref>{{YouTube|W5Gsp5bGW_s|Luxury House for Sale in Kandahar, AFGHANISTAN / Prime Investment Opportunity}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|TjadaeDtCdA|New Design Home in Kandahar City Aino Mena}}</ref> and the elites.<ref>{{YouTube|_3m2yi0abU8|گزارش ویژه سردارنظری ساخت نقشه قصر سفید آمریکا در ولایت قندهار به مساحت بیست جریب زمین}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|7c_RgeUHGZg|AFGHANISTAN 🇦🇫 / Inside a $600,000 Dollar Luxury House in Kandahar // 2026}}</ref> The Ayno Maina Dam is located in the northern part, which provides water for irrigation purposes.

Ayno Maina has a number of companies, business centers, supermarkets, banks, hotels, restaurants, mosques, hospitals, universities, parks, and places to play sports or just relax.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.alemarahenglish.af/minister-of-public-health-visits-350-bed-hospital-in-kandahar/ |title=Minister of Public Health Visits 350-Bed Hospital in Kandahar |website=alemarahenglish.af |date=August 16, 2024 |access-date=2026-02-13}}</ref> Many tourists visit the gated community for leisure and pleasure purposes.

== History == The Ayno Maina development project began in 2003 by a group of Afghan Americans, with a $3 million dollar grant from the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |url=http://www.usinfo.state.gov/sa/Archive/2004/Jan/29-5307.html |title=U.S. Government Agency Grants $3 Million to Build Afghan Homes |publisher=U.S. Government |date=May 12, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004135535/http://usinfo.state.gov/sa/Archive/2004/Jan/29-5307.html |archive-date=2006-10-04}}</ref> The construction framework and design credits go to AFCO International, a company based in Virginia, United States, and owned by Mahmud Karzai and associates.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-180661 |title=Mahmood Karzai Travel Issues Due to 'Unsolved Problem of Ayno Mina Town' |work=TOLOnews |date=8 November 2022 |access-date=2026-02-13}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite news |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/spending-time-with-the-karzais-in-parts-of-kandahar/ |title=Spending Time With the Karzais in (Parts of) Kandahar |work=The New York Times |date=July 29, 2011 |access-date=2026-02-13}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite web |url=https://afghaneye.net/2020/10/26/hamid-helmandi-on-challenges-of-urban-development-and-agriculture-in-afghanistan/ |title=Hamid Helmandi on challenges of urban development and agriculture in Afghanistan |publisher=The Afghan Eye |date=October 26, 2020 |access-date=2026-02-13}}</ref>

In 2011 the project won both the "Residential Project of the Year" and the "Sustainable Project of the Year" at the Middle East Architect Awards, which was held at the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.middleeastarchitect.com/insight/architect-awards-winners-reaction |title=ME Architect Awards: winners' reaction |website=middleeastarchitect.com |date=September 20, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.commercialinteriordesign.com/news/aino-mina |title=Case study: Aino Mina |website=commercialinteriordesign.com |date=October 11, 2011}}</ref> By 2016 Aino Maina had around 4,000 families living in it.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/aino-mena-leading-example-development |title=Aino Mina, A Leading Example Of Development |work=TOLOnews |date=26 March 2016 |access-date=2026-02-13}}</ref>

== See also == *Tourism in Afghanistan

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == *{{YouTube|anM7GlpGLUQ|عینومینه Aino Maina}} *{{Cite web|url=https://foremanroberts.com/project/aino-mina-afghanistan/|title=Aino Mina Afghanistan|website=foremanroberts.com}}

Category:Kandahar