MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan -- Childhood has never been easy in Afghanistan.

The conflict, drought and poverty are having profound effects on a generation, leaving many families struggling to feed their children.

About 15 million Afghan children are malnourished, according to Save the Children, an international child welfare agency that set out to help rural Afghan communities.

“What we really need now is the political movement behind this to act to tackle hunger,” said Sarah Jacobs, a spokesman for Save the Children.

ITN’s Emma Murphy visited Afghanistan's second-largest city to learn about a new program by the agency that's making a difference, one mother at a time.

View the video to see Afghan women and relief agencies working together

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