Zargul and her family used to go to the toilet outside – and often fell sick. Zargul’s son nearly died of diarrhoea.

They used to ascribe to a widely-held Afghan belief that washing your hands before a meal would mean you ‘lose the blessing of the mullah’.

But a Tearfund partner has taught them about hygiene and handwashing. Now, the family enjoy good health. They’ve built a toilet and take pride in cleaning the yard, scrubbing their pots and washing their hands. Zargul carries soap in her pocket wherever she goes.