Save Afghan Women & Children with Health Care

by Afghan Institute of Learning

Project Report | Oct 13, 2011
Ten Reproductive Health Seminars Held

By Toc Dunlap | Executive Director, Creating Hope International

From January through August of this year, the Afghan Institute of Learning has held 10 separate, five day Seminars on Reproductive Health. The total number of women who have attended these seminars is 333. The participants vary. Some are housewives, students, teachers, and government workers. Many of the participants are illiterate and the program is adapted to be very easy to understand using pictures, oral instruction and by having the attendees actively participate with question and answer and hands-on activities.

The women are informed of all aspects of pregnancy, labor, delivery, breastfeeding, child spacing and how to keep themselves healthy before, during and after a pregnancy. Parisa, one of the participants said, “This workshop can prevent the mortality of women and their children. Women receive enough information about all of the issues of delivery and reproductive health and we can carry this information to others, especially our families. Now I can provide reasons to others why it is better to deliver in a clinic or hospital instead of at home.”

Another AIL Project, “Transform Lives of 70,000 Afghan Adolescent Girls” has been chosen to be part of the Girl Effect Challenge, which runs from October 15 through November 15, 2011. Approximately 60 projects have been included in this challenge. The top six projects with the highest number of unique donations will become part of the Girl Effect Fund for one year and each is expected to earn an additional $25,000. Please check out our project #8791, and thank you for your generous support of our programs!

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Jul 7, 2011
Great outcomes!

By Toc Dunlap | Executive Director Creating Hope International

A recent report by “Save the Children” listed Afghanistan as the worst place to be a woman. One reason for this was the very high mortality rate. According to that report, the lifetime risk of maternal death is 1 in 11, and the life expectancy of a female in Afghanistan is 45.

AIL continues to reach more people, especially women, through their health education programs. Subjects taught include women’s health, violence against women, reproductive health, first aid, self-immolation, family planning, vaccinations, nutrition and other topics requested by participants.

Additionally, AIL began a pilot program for Expectant Mothers in November, 2010. We are beginning to see the results of this program, and they are very positive. Since the Expectant Mother program workshops started in November 2010:

only 6 mothers from the 37 who attended workshops in November 2010 through February 2011 gave birth at home. The vast majority have had their babies at the clinic or hospital. This is remarkable in a society where home birth is the norm and where today’s mothers were most likely born at home and have mothers themselves or mothers in law who believe home birth the accepted practice as they themselves experienced it. These women have little or no access to women who have had births at clinics or hospitals so they are stepping out of the known in choosing a clinic birth.
Only one stillbirth and one complication were recorded for the 37 women who have had their babies since attending a workshop. This is a rate of 2.7%. The national average is currently recorded by UNFPA for stillbirth as 70 per 1000 live births and by Afghan government as 5.2% in 2010 for neonatal death.
There have been no maternal deaths compared to national rate of 820 deaths per 100,000 births (UNFPA) and as 1.4% by UNICEF

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Apr 6, 2011
Succeeding

By AIL Staff | Project Leaders

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