Author: Mojghan Watson

Growing food for the indigenous community in Santa Fe, New Mexico

During a 2024 visit to Santa Fe, Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh, founder of the Sufi Service Committee, set out a vision: to grow food for the local American Indian community. To make it happen, the SSC formed an Agriculture Land Use subcommittee, knowing from the start this would be a long-term effort in the challenging high-desert climate.

Throughout 2024 we shaped the vision, mission, and goals, and in 2025 we began building a small local farm, working with three permaculture specialists to design greenhouse growing suited to the area.

Now in 2026 our first crops have arrived, and our first food gifts are going to the Santa Fe Indigenous Center. Our next delivery will include lettuces, spinach, carrots, radishes, bunching onions, snow peas, sugar snap peas, and fresh herb bundles.

San Miguel de Allende Adolescent Center (CASA) in Mexico

The Nur Foundation, the social-work arm of the Nematollāhí Sufi Center in Mexico, has begun working with CASA, the Center for Adolescents in San Miguel de Allende.

With help from volunteers, many of them Sufis from different countries, we assist with feeding five- and six-year-olds under a nutritionist’s guidance, teach English classes, and provide entertainment, school supplies, and walkers. We also helped renovate and repaint the library.

Founded 40 years ago, CASA supports women facing domestic violence, low-income families, and teenagers steered away from violence through art and music. It runs entirely on volunteers and donations.

Renovation of the Centre de Sante Javad Nurbakhsh (CSJN) completed

We’re happy to share that the Fondation Dr Javad Nurbakhsh has completed the renovation of the Centre de Santé Javad Nurbakhsh (CSJN) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The buildings have been modernized, with new work and storage areas added.

By purchasing a small neighboring plot of land, we were able to expand the vaccination center and add a small car park. We also upgraded the drainage system, which has finally solved the recurring problem of water infiltration.

Open House Day at the Health Center in Abidjan

The Fondation Javad Nurbakhsh sponsored an Open House Day at the Centre de Santé Javad Nurbakhsh (CSJN) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. We invited our neighbors to join us, learn how to improve their health, take advantage of discounted health check-ups, and find out more about the Fondation’s work in the area.

It was a wonderful chance to spend time with the community we serve.

Exciting News from Cote d’Ivoire

The Sufi Service Committee is proud to celebrate 12 years of support for the Foundation Dr Javad Nurbakhsh in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. The aim of the health center is “to improve the health outcomes of disadvantaged populations, without distinction as to origin, race, or religious, political or philosophical convictions”, in a country we love for its diversity.

To achieve this mission and goal the Foundation operates around 3 main activities:

1. A health center affordable for the most disadvantaged patients that, with a team of 60 professionals, provided 30,000 medical consultations in 2016.
2. A series of free health outreach and screening campaigns (Malaria, HIV, TB, …).
3. A social and welfare program that covers health care expenses; provides foodstuffs and school supplies; offers creative workshops for children; and supports income generating activities to assist families in achieving financial self-sufficiency.

Côte d’Ivoire has one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV infection in West Africa. The life expectancy is only 54 years old and malaria kills thousands of people and children every month.

The approach of the Foundation Dr Javad Nurbakhsh and its Medical Center has been to create a high quality health care facility in a location where many local residents can afford to pay reasonable fees, but an area also easily accessible to more indigent populations. To attract and retain patients, they offer a wide range of state-of-the-art services at considerably less cost than other local facilities. The income generated from paying clients has been sufficient to underwrite the cost of treatment for those unable to pay.

The Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh Foundation works in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and is an important part of their national network of community health centers. We ask for your support to enhance and maintain the Foundation, its medical center and all its projects for those in great need.