Through partnership with the International Assistance Mission (IAM), Global Ministries is striving to help create a livable society in a war-torn country.  Just like everywhere else around the world, the high profile conflicts that make the news reflect political struggles for power.  Yet this downplays the real struggle of each individual family to secure economic stability, education, medical care, freedom, and human rights.

The International Assistance Mission, founded in 1972 as a development organization is committed to addressing these needs through community health programs, community development programs, eye-care programs, micro-enterprise development, English education, renewable energy programs, mental health programs, and other missions that enhance human development and stability.  Global Ministries has related to IAM since its founding and has encouraged its tendency to employ local Afghan leadership in its programs.

IAM's 2006 Accomplishments:

Despite the conflictive environment, IAM has continued to do its community-based grassroots work in development.  In Herat, the communities identified literacy and basic education as one of their greatest needs.  The Community Development Program (CDP) responded by providing literacy, health and social education courses that benefited 1400 families.  Cooking classes helped women find economically feasible ways to integrate vegetables and nutritious foods into their families' diets.  The great successes in these Herat communities have led to plans to move this program to adjacent districts where the need also is great.  The CDP in Mazar-E-Sharif has been similarly successful and has enrolled 326 men and women in literacy courses, provided veterinary worker courses, dug ten wells, and provided micro-credit loans to 469 individuals. 

The Hazarajat Community Health project provides both curative services as well as preventative educational programs to the local community about primary health issues.  Over 16,000 outpatients were seen, 8,000 children received vaccinations, 238 babies were delivered, 250 community health workers were trained, and 32 individuals were trained in veterinary care.

A Hygiene Education, Water and Sanitation program is working to make rural Afghanistan livable.  Communities play a crucial role in planning and implementing the education and sanitation projects.  Overall, 3600 families received health education, 50 wells were dug and 1730 latrines were built, and one community built a reservoir.  Leadership of the program will be taken over by an Afghan national in 2007 and there is expected to be an increasing proportion of Afghans in the leadership.

There are many other facets to IAM's work in Afghanistan.  Global Ministries is privileged to partner with IAM and, through it, to participate in these empowering development ministries.

If you'd like to support Global Ministries Partnership with IAM, your gifts may provide:

• $25 will keep one child in school for a year.
• $40 will provide an eye exam for three people at an Eye Clinic.
• $100 will provide an English literacy class for one month.
• $500 will provide the health education materials and staff for one village.
• $2500 will dig a well to benefit a community.