In June 2002, the Karez Association began its medical activities in Kandahar, a region engulfed in conflict.
Eventually, in April 2008, bringing together the hopes and efforts of people from both Japan and Afghanistan, the long-awaited new Kandahar Clinic was completed in the Aino Mena district of Kandahar City.
Today, a team of 32 local staff members attends to over 120 patients daily.
More than 60% of them are women, along with many children. To support them, the clinic is equipped with separate examination rooms, waiting areas, and delivery rooms for men and women, creating an environment where patients can receive medical care safely while respecting cultural traditions.
Furthermore, the Karez Association devotes its efforts to vaccinations, public health education, and the promotion of community-based healthcare, believing that true medical care is not only about “treating illness” but also about “preventing illness.” This unwavering mission continues as the “lifeline of life” flowing through the desert.
A nurse providing public health education in the waiting area
The clinic also conducts clinical tests and X-ray examinations
A new life born at the clinic
The Karez Association extends its medical support beyond the clinic.
Around the Kandahar Clinic, there are seven “medical deserts” with no doctors at all.
To address this, we have established and operate 14 Health Posts that serve as local healthcare hubs.
At these sites, community members support one another by providing hygiene education, practicing first aid, and assisting doctors and vaccination staff dispatched from the clinic. In recent years, we have also focused on midwifery, extending our care to protect the lives of mothers and children.
"Where medical care cannot reach,
we want to bring hope."
This is the belief that guides the Karez Association.
Each small Health Post lighting up a desert village serves as a “lifeline of life,” quietly nourishing the land even today.
Volunteers Working at Health Posts
Community Health Workers