15 March 2026, Kabul, Afghanistan – At the Zero Point of Milak Border Crossing in Nimroz Province, southwestern Afghanistan, 30-year-old social mobilizer Ferishta Zahedi stands before groups of women and returning families, speaking in a calm and friendly voice. “I am here because your health and your family’s health matter. I want to share simple but important information that can help you protect your children and loved ones from infectious diseases.”
A trained social mobilizer providing awareness information. Photo credit: WHO Afghanistan
For many of the women she meets, it is the first time that someone has taken the time to explain serious diseases such as acute respiratory infections, acute watery diarrhoea and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in ways they understand.
Returnee populations often face heightened health risks due to overcrowding, limited access to services and low awareness of disease prevention. Recognizing these vulnerabilities, the World Health Organization (WHO) has trained and deployed 15 social mobilizers, nearly half of them women, to ensure health messages reach diverse community groups, including women and girls who may have limited access to information.
Over the course of the intervention, nearly 15 000 people have been reached, including 4278 women and girls. Around 20 000 information, education and communication materials have been distributed, together with soap to reinforce key hygiene and sanitation practices. Awareness sessions focus on preventing, recognizing early and seeking timely care for infectious diseases such as acute respiratory infections, acute watery diarrhoea, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, dengue fever and measles, and the importance of routine immunization.
Ferishta’s presence as a female social mobilizer makes it easier for women and girls to gather, ask questions and speak openly about their concerns. In communities where women often stay at home, this direct engagement is powerful. It means mothers learn how to protect their children from measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, and families understand when to seek care.
“Many women have little information but a strong desire to learn,” says Ferishta. “Their questions and interest illustrate how much awareness is needed.”
Social mobilizer Dr Abdul Hakim Rahmani also works in Nimroz, with returnees arriving from Iran.
Community members at the Milak border crossing in Nimroz Province receive health awareness information. Photo credit: WHO Afghanistan
“Each day, I encounter large numbers of returnees who are struggling with health problems but have very little information,” he says. “Many do not understand what they are suffering from or where to go for help. They need guidance and reassurance.”
He explains to them how vaccination protects children, the signs and symptoms of common infectious diseases and the importance of personal and environmental hygiene.
“Seeing the difficult conditions some returnees face is hard but knowing I can help and raise their awareness makes the work deeply rewarding.”
For returnees who have just crossed the border, and for host communities receiving them, these simple sessions are more than talks. They are moments of connection, reassurance and practical guidance.
By bringing lifesaving health messages directly to border areas, health facilities, schools and mosques, and by ensuring women are reached through trained mobilizers like Ferishta, the campaign helps communities feel more prepared, informed and supported in protecting their health.
For more information, contact:
Mohammad Modaser Islami, WHO Risk Communication and Community Engagement Officer, Kabul, Afghanistan,
