Wanted: people with heart

Central Asia | Debbie Meroff

“A woman’s place is at home or in the grave,” claims a Pushtun proverb. Although life for women and girls in Afghanistan has made some progress in the last decade, 87 per cent of women are illiterate and only 30 per cent of girls have access to education. Workers comment that it’s still common to see women by the side of a road, begging. A partner relief and development organisation is addressing Afghanistan’s maternal and infant mortality rate—the second highest in the world—by providing pre- and post-natal care and midwife training. The team also works with adults and children who are marginalised because they are deaf, visually impaired or otherwise disabled.

“What we do affects life and death,” states a leader. “The mentally and physically disabled may never leave their house their whole lives, never go to school. We need people here with the heart to stick with it. It’s not a picnic. But for professionals it’s easy to get visas. If you want to make a difference to thousands of lives, there’s definitely the opportunity in Afghanistan.”

Pray for the workers on the ground, and for more men and women who will rise to the challenge of caring for the marginalised people of this war-devastated land.

Credit: Debbie Meroff
© 2012 OM International