Save Afghan Women & Children with Health Care

Donations to this AIL project get a 50% match from the Safer World Fund.

Only a few thousand in bonus funds still available – so hurry and donate to get a match! 

In August, AIL continued expansion of the workshop and seminar program by visiting both Balkh and Bamyan Provinces. Six teacher training and literacy seminars were held for 344 people including 238 women and 106 men.

There were five 5- day reproductive health workshops for 285 people, some of them teachers. Teachers are crucial at disseminating information to their female pupils about many topics such as women’s health. The girl students then relay what they have learned from their teachers to female relatives. The topics covered included pregnancy, infant care, birth control, hygiene, vaccines and birthing.

One girl said, I have three brothers and two sisters and my father is a worker and my mother is a housewife. We have a basic life because we are poor. My mother’s health is not good. She is so weak because we do not eat healthy foods and our diet is not sufficient. When I participated at this workshop, I did not know anything about my health, the female body and healthy foods. I now know about the first thousand days of life, women health and hygiene, reproduction, healthy foods and unhealthy foods.  I learned that by using inexpensive foods such as vegetables and beans and other things we can make healthy meals for us.”

Thank you for your support for improved health care and health education in Afghanistan.

AIL health staff are highly trained medical professionals. They are also skilled in dealing with conflict, inter-personal matters and family situations. People come to the clinic with beliefs set by their families, traditions or customs, as they often lack the means to educate themselves about medical truths. Here is an example where a doctor showed understanding and patience in dealing with a woman’s lack of knowledge and superstition:

“I participated in the health council of Sar-Asia village. There were many local women there and the community health worker was talking about the types of contraceptive method. One of the women got angry and said contraceptive is considered a sin. The CHS tried to explain to her the benefits but she intended to leave the council. I asked the woman to speak with me for a  few minutes. She was too young and looked worn out.  She had three children close together. I mentioned the malnutrition problems for children whose parents don’t consider child spacing. The woman admitted her children have malnutrition issues. I talked about the other harm done by frequent pregnancy for children and mothers and the benefits of spacing. She changed her mind and selected a contraceptive method in private and was assured that her husband would not have a problem with it.”

Afghan women want to do the right thing to remain healthy and give their children the best nutrition and opportunity in life. What women need is the education to help make the right choices. This is why AIL’s comprehensive health education program is so vital for breaking the cycle of ill health, improving vaccination rates and reducing child malnutrition. Staff are kind, gentle and patient in dealing with people’s concerns and understand that often families and husbands are part of any decision and also need health education to make good choices.  So far in 2022, there have been over 86,000 attendees at health education.

Thank you for your support for improved health care and education in Afghanistan.