From Fear to Hope: Safer Motherhood Comes to Tang-e Bozbai

Narrated by Wali Jan, resident of Tang-e Bozbai, Bala Murghab District, Badghis Province

Prepared by Ali Mohammad Karimi, Advocacy, Risk and Compliance Coordinator

In the quiet heart of the Bala Murghab mountains lies my village: Tang-e Bozbai. In this remote place, pregnancy and childbirth have long been times of fear rather than joyful anticipation. Distance from services, difficult terrain, and a lack of available medical care have meant that many families face childbirth as a moment of great vulnerability.

When a woman from the village went into labour, we often had no choice but to improvise. If she needed medical attention, we would construct a simple wooden stretcher to carry her across long and rough paths toward the nearest health facility. The journey could take hours, sometimes longer, depending on weather and road conditions. In the best-case scenario, such circumstances pushed women and their family members to the limits of their strength and hope.

Too many mothers reached care too late for their child to be delivered safely. And too many mothers did not survive the journey themselves. These losses left lasting scars on families and deepened the silence in our village.

In recent times, however, access to maternal care has improved through the establishment of a family health facility in the community, supported by World Vision Afghanistan. Having trained health workers nearby means women no longer have to travel long distances for the care they need during pregnancy and childbirth.

Today, when labour begins, families no longer face the same immediate fear of an arduous journey. Essential services are available closer to home, and when referral is needed, it happens with the support of trained health workers.

The change is not only in distance but also in dignity. Mothers can seek care earlier, and families face childbirth with more confidence than before. While challenges in access and emergency response still remain in remote areas like Bala Murghab, this facility has become an important step toward safer motherhood in Tang-e Bozbai.

For our community, this health facility is more than a building. It has given us greater confidence that our mothers and babies have a better chance of coming safely through childbirth.

Yet many villages in the surrounding areas continue to face the risks that were part of our daily lives until recently.

As a community member, I humbly ask those with the capacity to support to help extend these services further. Strengthen access, improve coverage, and ensure that no mother is forced to depend on distance and chance when bringing life into the world.

A single family health facility does not solve every challenge, but in places like Tang-e Bozbai, it can meaningfully shift the odds towards survival, safety, and a healthier future.