Raw Hope update - Nasima's story
September 2018
One-year old Nasima was suffering from severe malnutrition when her mum Bibi Gul brought her to the mobile health clinic in the suburbs of Herat in Afghanistan. Like thousands of other families, they were forced to flee their homes as they had nothing left to eat, following the worst drought they’ve ever seen.
But thanks to people like you, Nasima was given special food that helped her grow again.
“I don’t know her exact weight, but I can feel she is getting heavier day by day,” said Nasima’s mum.
Life used to be good in the province of Badghis, where Bibi Gul used to live with her family of five. Bibi Gul’s husband, Mohammad, used to farm sesame, cumin, wheat and peas, and sell part of his produce to buy what his family needed.
Watch this video showing the challenges Afghan families like Nasima’s are going through and how supporters’ donations are helping.
Life used to be good in the province of Badghis, where Bibi Gul used to live with her family of five. Bibi Gul’s husband, Mohammad, used to farm sesame, cumin, wheat and peas, and sell part of his produce to buy what his family needed.
But the low rainfall last winter destroyed Mohammad’s winter harvest and spring planting. They also lost their cows and sheep as the animals died from the lack of food and water. With nothing left to eat, Mohammad had no other choice but to move with his family to the nearest city, in the hope of finding food, water, and medical care
In Herat, Mohammad tries to earn some money but it’s hard to find work, and he often returns to their makeshift tent with empty hands. The couple’s eldest son, Baryalay, 8, collects thorns and thistles which Bibi Gul burns to make tea and bake home-made bread. “If my husband doesn’t earn, we usually eat bread and tea,” she says. Nasima, her youngest child, suffered the most from this diet. “Since I didn’t eat enough, or well, my breast milk reduced and we couldn’t find a way to feed Nasima nutritional foods.”
Thanks to Raw Hope supporters, two mobile health teams have been set up to help children like Nasima get the care they so desperately need.
These photos show how the drought is affecting Afghan families and how supporters’ donations are helping alleviate these challenges.
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Gul Mohammad, 37, lives with his five children in a worn tent without the most basic facilities. “Whatever we cultivated in Badghis was ruined due to lack of rain and irrigation water. I had 15 sheep, but they died in front of my eyes due to hunger.”
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Children are eating the dried bread they brought from Badghis province. The poor living conditions and the lack of hygiene and sanitation poses a serious risk of disease, particularly among malnourished children who have weakened immune systems.
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Families gathered on the outskirts of Herat in makeshift tents in the hope to get food. The government of Herat province is stretched beyond its capacity to assist these families.
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The mobile health team visits these areas once a week and provides basic health services and free medicine for the families.
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This child is being diagnosed as severely malnourished and will be given special food to gain weight like Nasima.
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What’s happening:
• Lack of rain since October 2017 has resulted in degraded agriculture and livelihoods
• People in need of food, water, health care and protection
• 5.5 million people affected
• Over 150,000 displaced people
How children are affected:
• 896,000 children in need of health care
• Issues include malnutrition, diseases, early marriage and trafficking, lack of education, violence
How supporters are helping:
• Provision of food, clean water, health care, education and protection
• 270,416 children reached so far
• 3 mobile health teams have been set up and reached 32,822 individuals
• 820 severely malnourished children have been treated