In our health education project in Tajikistan, our partners have seen how important health education and counselling are for women in their communities. Lessons cover mental health, diabetes prevention, healthy lifestyles, disease prevention, and family wellbeing.
Nasiba attended an International Women’s Day celebration for the first time in her life. Her daughter worked hard to help her attend because she wanted her mother to have this special experience. During a discussion about the value of women, inner beauty, emotional wellbeing, and health, Nasiba became emotional and cried. She said it meant so much to be included and to hear that women are valuable and important. It was a powerful reminder of how much encouragement and affirmation many women need.
Zulfia is a woman with a hearing impairment. Like many other women facing similar challenges, she has had limited access to information throughout her life. She often needs basic health information explained carefully and clearly. Through our health lessons, she is learning new things and becoming more confident in understanding her health and managing her daily life.
We also met Malika, who underwent surgery for a herniated disc last year. She believed that her monthly periods had stopped because of the back operation. During our discussion, we discovered that her uterus had been removed during a separate medical procedure, but she had never fully understood this. Her story highlights how vital health education is and how many women still lack access to clear, understandable medical information.
The project is helping women gain knowledge, confidence, emotional support, and a better understanding of their health. Through health education and counselling, families and communities are becoming healthier, stronger, and better equipped to care for one another.

Health is everyone’s responsibility, and Bibi grew in her health knowledge and confidence through our training and put it into practice for the good of her community.

Malnutrition continues to increase across Afghanistan. The United Nations now reports 3.2 million children in Afghanistan face acute malnutrition. We expect this to worsen over the winter as the bitter cold forces many families to divert part of their funds towards heating instead of food.

Two months later, Serah was improving from the malnutrition.

Our partners in Kyrgyzstan run Pregnancy Health and Childbirth Education classes adapted for both online and in-person instruction. The seminars are six weeks long, and women from all regions of the country,

At the end of 2024, we ran a six week exercise program for Jordanian and Syrian women in Zarqa. The women who attended hadn’t had any connection with Operation Mercy in the past.

Izzy was one of seven young women who completed our 6 month CHA pilot program. We selected women who had few opportunities in life. Some hadn’t finished school.

The third wave of Covid brought a shaking up in the community in the capital of North Macedonia. One way our Operation Mercy team made a difference was by coming alongside the medical vaccination personnel in practical ways.

… she will pass this information on as she cares for pregnant and lactating women.

My name is Ghada, and I am a member of the Artery of Hope Savings Group.
Today, I would like to share a success story—an idea that started with the savings group and grew into a project to cultivate more than 60 dunams of land.

Now we eat vegetables at every meal, I am stronger, I can do my housework and take care of my children and a sick member of our family.

Mahabat had infused that young woman with encouragement and confidence that she could do it, and together they did!

Soon Mohammed was back to a normal weight and Farzana was delighted to see her son playing again, standing and moving, and having an appetite.

All of these health conditions have multiple underlying causes, but poor dietary habits are high among the risk factors.

Our Maternal and Child Nutrition and Health Project is improving health practices around birth and childcare amongst the vulnerable population of Afghanistan.
A young mother shares:
“I have been married for three years.

Educating disadvantaged communities about their health does not only prevent illnesses and improve their wellbeing, but it can also save lives.

Fatima lost her husband, Omar, three years ago. After the birth of her second child, she suffered from postpartum complications that left her with severe back pain and limited mobility.

“Most of the families in this village lack access to clean drinking water, and it is extremely difficult for our women and children to get water from a distance.”

In Afghanistan we have had the privilege of running a health programme in a number of communities where we train men and women on essential elements of nutrition and health during pregnancy and in the early formative years of a child’s life.

Miriam came to our refugee medical clinic with a list of physical complaints—but as she sat down, it all came out at once.
“My children won’t eat.

“The people here stood with me,” says Om Waleed*, recounting her young daughter’s need for surgery. “Even though my family is all the way in Syria,