Sixteen years of war, fear, and hardship finally ended for Nisar and his family when this former soldier of the Northern Alliance put down his weapons and signed up for the DDR program. From among various training options, he chose to learn about small business. He recently opened a hardware shop that sells tools, paint, and building materials.

‘‘I can see many changes in my life,” he says. “Before, my family and I didn’t have a specific place to live. Whenever I was called by my commander to go to any part of the country, I had to go and take my family there. They suffered immensely, and I risked my life all the time. Now we are settled and living together in a house, and I am able to go to my home and see my family every night. I have a happy, quiet life now.’’