Support Afghan Women & Youth Initiatives in 2023

In 2023 BBS continues its commitment to Afghanistan in partnership with the UN Mission in Badakhshan and the Afghan non-profit SALEHO.

Building on the women’s centre opened in the autumn of 2022 in the Zebak district, we are grateful for the approval to continue our women-centric activities, in consideration of social and cultural themes, with a second centre in Ishkashim that will offer a life skills program focusing on the topic of household firewood and smoke inhalation plus a lending library for women and children.

The reduction of household wood consumption and smoke inhalation is an important health consideration for this region and here’s why…

World Health Organisation (WHO) data states that “4.2 million people die from exposure to outdoor air pollution, in addition to the 3.8 million whose deaths are linked to household smoke produced by dirty stoves and fuels. The main problem posed by heating and cooking is the smoke, which kills 54,000 Afghans a year. Most of those killed are children under five.”

The WHO also ranked the problem as one of the worst health risks facing the poor. “More than 95% of Afghanistan’s 30 million people burn solid fuels, such as wood and coal, in their homes, said the World Health Organisation, making it one of the top 10 countries worst-affected by indoor pollution.”

By addressing this important household issue with practical life skills, including introducing women to alternative cooking methods in their home, we’ll have a direct impact on the overall health of families.  As part of this program, households will also receive follow-up visits to support the implementation and address challenges that may have arisen following their workshop session.

BBS is also committed to helping provide new breadmaking stoves to communities.  These new stoves burn considerably less firewood and create minimal smoke.  Made in the local city of Faizabad, each unit costs approximately US$55 and to date the communities in our project zone have not used them because of the cost.

The new centre will include a small lending library with 150 unique titles for women and children including books and audio books. We’re very thankful to the Department of Culture of Information of Badakhshan who donated 120 books including 100 for children to our Zebak centre in the autumn of 2022.

Through all the upheaval a small window of opportunity remains open, and we look forward to continuing to support families and their communities in 2023.

Donations for our 2023 centre can be made through this page. 

For US and UK taxpayers, you may wish to donate through our GlobalGiving project page to receive an official tax receipt.  To go to our GlobalGiving project page, please click here.