Dr. Sima Samar runs Shuhada, an organization based in the small border town of Quetta in Pakistan. Its name in the Dari language means martyrs, in recognition of the sacrifices made by thousands of lives during the conflict in Afghanistan. Established in 1989, it provides much-needed medical assistance and education for Afghan women and children. For more information, visit www.shuhada.org

Projects from Shuhada's 2000 Annual Report:

     Shuhada Hospital, Jaghori:
This hospital established in 1993 is well-equipped, offering such services as in-patient care with 50-bed capacity, an out-patient department, vaccination, laboratory, dressing room, x-ray, operating theater and delivery room. The hospital also offers nurse, mid-wife and health worker training courses depending on the availability of funds. It also serves as the administrative point for an outreach health service network of six basic health centers located in different villages. A daily average of 50 to 60 patients visit the hospital for treatment.

     Shuhada Hospital, Behsood:
Established in 1997, this hospital has an operating theater, X-ray, laboratory, delivery room, an out-patient department and an in-patient department with 12-bed capacity. A daily average of 40-60 patients visit the out-patient department.

     Shuhada Hospital, Yakawlang:
Started in 1998, this hospital has an operating theater, laboratory, delivery room, out-patient department and an in-patient department with a capacity of 10 beds. The only institution of its kind in the area, the daily average of visiting patients is 40-60 persons.

     Shuhada Hospital, Bamyan:
Services and facilities offered by this hospital include a delivery room, a laboratory, an out-patient department and in-patient department with 5-bed capacity. A daily average of 40-50 out patients visit the hospital.

     Shuhada Clinics, Lal and Sar-e-Jangal:
These two health clinics were established in 1997. A medical doctor and a female nurse provide out patient care in each of these clinics. These clinics are used as centers for providing family planning and personal hygiene information to villagers who remain isolated and largely illiterate. Minor health complications are treated at the centers while major cases are diagnosed and referred to the Shuhada Hospital, Yakawlang for advanced care.

     Shuhada Clinic, Kabul:
This clinic was established in the poorest area of Kabul City in 1993 and since then it has been extending its services to women and children. The severe drought in central areas of Afghanistan produced a huge influx of refugees into the Kabul City and an increased number of patients. The Clinic is staffed by two medical doctors, and three nurses. A daily average of 60 to 70 patients visit the clinic daily.

     Shuhada Clinics, Nahoor:
Two village health clinics were established in March 2000. These clinics offer out-patients care, laboratory and delivery room facilities. These clinics are staffed by a medical doctor, two female nurses, one male nurse and one laboratory assistant each. A daily average of 30-40 patients visit the clinics. These clinics are also used as centers for provide family planning and personal hygiene information to villagers who remain isolated and largely illiterate.

     Shuhada Clinic, Quetta, Pakistan:
Also serving as the head office of the Shuhada Organization, the clinic was established in 1989. Currently the clinic operates on a self-sufficient basis rendering services to a large Afghan refugee population in the city. The clinic operates with an out-patient department, an in-patient branch with 17 beds, a delivery room, a laboratory and X-ray department, vaccination capability and an operating theater.

     Shuhada Health Posts, Jaghori:
A qualified female nurse treats the patients with minor ailments at the clinic and refers the complicated cases to Shuhada Hospital, Jaghori. These health posts are also used as centers for providing family planning and personal hygiene information to villagers who remain isolated and largely illiterate.

     Education

     Schools administered by the Shuhada Organization in different areas of Hazarajat and Quetta City:

     A further four classes of home schools are operating in Kabul city. A science institute has been established at Quetta City to provide higher education to students graduated from the above schools. This institute has two departments of Paramedic, computer and science. The institute currently has 12 students and is operated by 10 teachers.

     Income Generation

     Active over the past few years, this project involves free distribution of sheep among families headed by widows or by disabled men. In return, the recipients have to return a lamb and one kilogram of wool at the end of each year for five years. The lambs and the wool are redistributed among new recipients.

     Construction

     During the year 2000, Shuhada Organization implemented projects for the construction or the repair of many of the buildings currently accommodating the health and education institutions, the construction of various schools in Ghazni, as well as projects for the construction of protection walls and check dams.

     Training and Capacity Building

     Traditional Birth Attendant (DAI) Training, Waras:
This was a short-term course of four months. 400 women were trained as traditional birth attendants.

     Community Health Worker Training, Shahristan:
This short-term course of four months trained 400 women to be traditional birth attendants.

     Traditional Birth Attendant Training, Qarabagh:
Completed in December of 2000, this project had 96 trainees.

     Traditional Birth Attendant Training, Bamyan:
This project was completed in Bamyan city with an output of 96 trainees.

     Nurse Training Course, Behsood:
This course trained 20 male and female trainees between May 2000 and May 2001.

     Community Health Worker Training, Nahoor:
This project trained 52 community health workers between October 2000 and October 2001.

     English Language and Computer Training Courses:
Shuhada Organization offers high-level courses in English language and computer training to 20 female students graduating from schools in Quetta, Pakistan.

     Teacher Training Course, Quetta, Pakistan:
This project helped train 23 teaching staff of Aryana Girls School to better understand child psychology in order to allow them to draw up helpful, supportive and individualized teaching methods for their students, especially those traumatized by violence and loss of close family members.

     Relief Distribution

     Shuhada Organization has also assisted Afghan refugees and internally displaced Afghan people. In 1999 and 2000, 140 families received relief packages through the Shuhada Organization.