In 2002, the Karez Association began its activities by establishing a small clinic in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan, a region engulfed in conflict. With the aim of delivering community-based medical care, the Association received Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects and started construction of the clinic in 2007. Despite interruptions caused by deteriorating security conditions, the long-awaited Kandahar Clinic and the Afghanistan office were completed in April 2008 in the Aino Mena district.
Since then, the clinic has continued to provide medical care for 22 years, serving a total of 816,691 patients (as of the end of October 2025). In 2024 alone, 32,077 people received life-saving care at this facility.
| Name | Specified Nonprofit Organization Karez Association Afghanistan Office Karez Health and Educational Services |
|---|---|
| Local Address | 1, Aino Meena 1-Street, Kandahar City Islamic Republic of Afghanistan |
Approximately 60% of the patients who visit the clinic are women aged 15 and older. When children are included, this figure rises to nearly 90%. For this reason, the Karez Association places the highest priority on activities that protect the health of mothers and children, as well as on strengthening community-based healthcare.
To ensure that women can receive medical care with peace of mind, the clinic has separate examination rooms and delivery rooms for men and women. Four female doctors and midwives work closely with mothers, serving as trusted and understanding caregivers.
Childbirth assistance is provided 24 hours a day, around the clock, and the introduction of the Afghan version of the Maternal and Child Health Handbook is also progressing.
At the clinic, we also actively conduct public health classes and vaccinations, focusing on expanding "preventive healthcare" to protect people before they fall ill.
[Breakdown of Clinic Patients in FY 2024]
[Trends in the Number of Patients at the Kandahar Clinic]
At the Kandahar site, a team of 32 staff members works every day, led by the clinic director and consisting of two physicians, midwives and nurses, an X-ray technician, laboratory technicians, a pharmacist, a community health supervisor, and support staff who assist them.
Their dedication sustains this clinic as a “stronghold of life.”
This Kandahar Clinic is operated through membership fees and donations from those who support the mission of the Karez Association.
Standing alongside people who have survived prolonged conflict, yet continue to believe in the future and move forward with determination
This is the spirit behind our guiding vision, “The Lifeline of Life — Karez.”
We sincerely ask for your warm support to help ensure that this lifeline is never broken.