Making changes for the children of Afghanistan

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Villagers set about the task of constructing household latrines, Afghanistan

Abdol Faroq, 38, is a farmer and a father, working on a cotton farm in the Karokh district about 25 km from Herat in Afghanistan.

This is a water-scarce area, and villagers are reliant on a single source for water around 2 kilometres away. His two children Mobin, 10, and Saba, 6, grew up with so many episodes of diarrhoea Abdol began to believe it was congenital. But the situation has improved lately as the village has begun to embrace change on their water and sanitation practices.

“About two years ago we had 12 cases of diarrhoea in one day,” remembers Abdol. “My girl Saba was one of them. The community health worker in our village transferred the sick to the clinic immediately. Some children’s diarrhoea was so severe they were kept there for three days.”

That particular outbreak was traced to drinking water polluted by animal carcasses; others may have been caused by faecal contact due to low levels of contained toilet usage.

“Our old latrine was not washable and it was so dark with a big hole in the middle,” explains Abdol. “Even my children avoided using it.”

The community was reluctant to change habits of a lifetime until they received a visit from a senior minister at the Department of Health. He was partnering with World Vision to promote water purification tablets called PUR, and made a public address to the families living in Abdol’s village. Abdol recalls the impact of his involvement as a turning point for children’s health.

“He said aloud that refined water is not a killer. He was the first person in our village to drink two glasses of refined water. After that, people believed that PUR isn’t dangerous.”

Introducing water purification is just one part of the water and sanitation work World Vision Afghanistan is carrying out in this community. About a month after the visit, World Vision led another community-wide training about how to construct a latrine. They also provided materials for the families in greatest financial need.

“Let me be honest, before we didn’t think that the location, or a door, were important for a latrine,” admits Abdol. “But, after participating in this training all of us quickly understood that our latrines are not in proper locations. So, when I received materials from World Vision, I immediately started to construct the right latrine in my home.”

Abdol is pleased to confirm that cases of diarrhoea have decreased for everyone in the village, and especially pleased that his own children are now healthier. “My son has found his appetite,” he says with relief. “I am proud to have participated in such as program.”