November 28th, 2012

Sachack village is located in Bamiyaan Province of central Afghanistan, smack in the middle of bitter cold and snow belt of the country.  It is a village of about 9,500 very poor people whose lives are influenced by the elements; very hot summers and cruelly harsh winters. They are subsistent farmers and animal herders. Five months of summer are for farming and seven months of winter are for hibernating. If the summer crop fails or the harvest is subpar, winters can be a challenge for survival.

These people had never seen a medical doctor prior to 2008, when Comfort Aid International (CAI) opened Imam Sajjad (A) Medical Clinic in the village.  For the first time ever, the sick get medical attention, mothers deliver babies under hygienic conditions supervised by a Midwife, broken bones get set and children get free immunization. The clinic benefits not only the residents of Sacheck; people from surrounding villages, miles away, come for treatment as well, some on foot, many on donkeys and horses.

The clinic is currently housed in a mud structure however; very difficult and expensive to keep constantly warm in the winter. When a mother comes for delivery, or a patient needs surgery, especially in the middle of the night, they have to wait until the operating room is heated using a coal heater. Sometimes this is too late, the damage is done.

CAI will insha’Allah begin construction on a modern structure in April 2013 to rid this problem. The clinic, once finished, will be maintained warm all the time in winter at fraction of current costs. It will be a modern structure with all basic medical facilities and much more hygienic than what we currently have.

The total cost of building this facility is about US$150,000 out of which US$50,000 has already been pledged. This is a great investment in the cause of humanity, bringing invaluable relief to most hapless people, especially to children and expectant mothers.

Here is Imam Sajjad (A) Medical Clinic in Sacheck in winter and the road leading to it:

We invite you to join us in this service to humanity for the pleasure of Allah (swt).

I will, insha’Allah, travel to Pakistan early December to assess curent projects under way and future assistance for flood victims. Additionally, CAI will insha’Allah assist families of recent bombing and shooting victims that have taken such heavy toll on our community  there.

You are welcome to contribute to this cause if possible; funds must reach CAI no later than December 10.