Viral 'Desi Jugaad': Afghanistan Taxi Drivers Create DIY Car Coolers To Beat 40°C Heat, Claim 'Works Better Than AC' | WATCH

Facing scorching 40°C+ temperatures and costly repairs, taxi drivers in Kandahar, Afghanistan, are going viral for their ingenious DIY car coolers, which they claim outperform traditional AC.

Afghanistan Taxi Drivers Create DIY Car Coolers To Beat 40°C Heat (PHOTO: X/@SallynHarry1)

Faced with scorching temperatures regularly exceeding 40°C (104°F) and the high cost of fixing built-in air conditioning systems, taxi drivers in Afghanistan's southern city of Kandahar have turned to a practical, if stark, solution: DIY car coolers. Viral videos and images highlighting these handmade cooling systems have ignited a global discussion about creativity born from necessity and the difficult conditions faced by ordinary Afghans.

These makeshift coolers, often similar to repurposed evaporative coolers, are customised for vehicles. Despite their unusual look and the need for frequent water refills, some drivers claim they work better than traditional car ACs. "This works better than [built-in] AC. ACs only cool the front. This cooler spreads air throughout the car," one driver told AFP. Another driver reportedly spent 3,000 Afghanis (about USD 43) on his custom cooler, motivated by the high cost of AC repairs.

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A viral post shared by the X (formerly Twitter) account 'SallynHarry1' yesterday has gained widespread attention and mixed reactions online. While some users praised the drivers' creativity and resourcefulness, many pointed to the situation as a grim reflection of the country's lack of basic facilities and infrastructure. Comments varied from remarks about the "back to the future" style to critical comments about the overall socio-economic and human rights situation in Afghanistan.

The striking images of these homemade solutions have drawn both admiration for resilience and concern about the conditions that require such measures.