Balochistan Livelihoods Security Programme - Traditional Birth Attendant

Gulbushra is in her mid-forties and has nine children.  She is pregnant with her tenth.  Her husband is no longer able to work due to illness and they have resorted to borrowing money to pay the bills. They also receive food from people in the community.  “God will give” she says.  Her eldest son is only ten and she has had to send her twin daughters to live with their grandmother who lives nearby. 

Life is particularly hard for Gulbushra but she is full of optimism and thanks for the changes that have been made to the community of Tor Tangi following the intervention of WESS including training on Food Preservation techniques at the end of 2003.

“We have a plentiful supply of water and can cultivate vegetables and orchards; in the summer we have a lot of vegetables – we have learnt how to preserve them, dry them, so that we can eat them in the winter.  We now know how to make sauces from the second rate apples and can sell it in the village.  We used to give the excess apples to the donkeys!”

“We no longer have to fetch water for most of the day – we ignored our children, now we are able to feed them instead of them being hungry, waiting for our return.    Some girls used to fetch water at 3am to give to the animals and this was very dangerous for them.”

“We understand about hygiene in the home, cleanliness and sanitation.  We understand the importance of resting when we’re pregnant and also just after delivery…. Before we would carry on as normal.”

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