Birth Life Saving Skills

Many men in the communities are learning how to better care for their pregnant women.

Operation Mercy BLiSS projects continue to make a significant impact in Afghanistan. In 2017, over 2,800 women and 600 men participated and graduated in the 17-week BLiSS course in Afghanistan.

BLiSS is a health education program about pregnancy, birth and new born care which began in 2005. The programme was created to help address the child and mother mortality rate in Afghanistan which remains one of the highest in the world.

In many areas in Afghanistan, men don´t allow their women to go to clinics for check-ups or other health issues
when they are pregnant, but the BliSS programme is slowly bringing a change to their thinking.

“When I arrived at my daughter’s home, her pain had already begun. It was midnight, and we could not get to the clinic,” said Mrs. Siamoy*.

“We all are thankful for these lessons and are so happy that we have my daughter-in-law and my grandchild with us.” – Birth Life Saving Skills participant

The people said, “Shirin Gul has four daughters; one of them was born after taking the BLiSS course.” Another lady laughed and said, “The last one born was the luckiest one!”