Dear Colleagues
In the district of Northern Afghanistan in which we work, with a population of 20,000+, irrigation ditches have been dug close to houses in every village and in the last year 12 children under 5 have drowned. Can any CHIFA member please give guidance on how to reduce those deaths? With large family size, small children are often left in the care of older girls. How could the Afghan team raise awareness of those girls, few of whom have any schooling, without risk of adding to the feeling of guilt which, if a younger sibling drowns, they could carry for the rest of their lives?
Best regards,
Stewart Britten
CHIFA Profile:
Stewart Britten is advisor to the British NGO, HealthProm, on its project to reduce maternal and child deaths in Northern Afghanistan. He has worked for the reduction of institutionalisation of babies and small children in Russia by introduction of parent support programmes. stewart.britten AT zen.co.uk