Maternal and Child Nutrition and Health

Dear friends of Operation Mercy Afghanistan,

Today I want to share two amazing stories of change that you helped make possible. Sit back and listen to these voices as they tell you how your support has impacted their lives!

1. Shaima: A Second Chance for a Healthy Pregnancy (name changed)

"My name is Shaima, and I have been married for three years. For the first year, I was unable to conceive. Then, by the grace of God, I became pregnant. My own family lives in Iran, and my mother-in-law was not supportive. I had no knowledge of how to take care of myself during pregnancy, and eventually, my baby was born.

"When the baby was seven days old, I woke up around 10 p.m. to his crying. I picked him up to breastfeed and laid him beside me, placing my breast in his mouth. I was so tired that I fell asleep. Tragically, the pressure of my body caused my baby to suffocate and pass away.

"Now, I am four months pregnant again. At the beginning of this pregnancy, I constantly worried about how to properly care for this child. One day, a young woman knocked on our door. I opened it, and she introduced herself as a representative from the Zakireen Township Clinic, offering nutritional counselling.

"Their advice has been incredibly helpful. I’ve learned how to take better care of myself and my baby. I used to drink almost no water, but now I drink at least 8 glasses daily. I also include food from all three food groups in my diet and take better care of my health overall. I have started visiting the clinic regularly, and they have given me folic acid tablets to support my pregnancy."

Zarlasht: Empowering Mothers Through Breastfeeding Education (name changed)

"In my family, my sister-in-law used to delay breastfeeding her baby, thinking that by doing so she was allowing the milk to “build up” for later. However, this approach had the opposite effect — over time, her milk supply decreased, and her baby remained hungry.

"After attending breastfeeding education sessions at the Zakireen Township Clinic, I learned that the more frequently a mother breastfeeds, the more milk she produces. I shared this knowledge with my sister-in-law, and she began applying the advice.

"Now, she no longer experiences issues with low milk supply. She breastfeeds her baby more frequently, and as a result, her child is no longer left hungry.

"Thanks to the nutrition program at Zakireen Clinic for providing such valuable and life-changing education."

Isn’t it amazing to see how simple lessons — someone walking alongside these young mothers — can make such a difference, even between life and death for some babies?

Thank you for partnering with us to change the lives of Afghan women and children — one life, one lesson, one step at a time.

Yours,
Andrea