A 2023 United Nations study estimates that 85% of people in Afghanistan live on less than one dollar a day. Women are especially vulnerable to extreme poverty. Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, girls are prohibited from attending school after year six, and women are banned from most work except for a few health professions. Midwives are often the only health workers in rural communities, and represent one of the few opportunities women have to earn an income. The Taliban prevents male doctors from treating female patients, so the need for qualified, confident, and well-trained midwives is critical.

One Day’s Wages is partnering with Action for Development, an organization founded and led by Afghan professionals, to improve maternal health outcomes in Afghanistan. Our partnership is supporting an inpatient midwife-led maternity clinic in Kabul that serves over 1,000 women annually, a majority of whom are living on under a dollar per day. In addition, intensive professional development trainings are being facilitated for midwives in Kabul, Parwan, and Takhar Provinces. Over three years, a total of 420 midwives will have improved confidence and capacity to address pregnancy complications, including breech deliveries and preeclampsia, collectively serving thousands of pregnant women.