2021 Assistance for Internally Displaced Persons
In response to the escalating crisis in Afghanistan, our fundraising campaign raised $10,100 to support internally displaced families. Collaborating with Afghan Relief in Kabul and the Selab Charity Foundation in Kandahar, we provided essential supplies to over 230 families in urgent need.
Background and Fundraising Campaign
Decades of war and neglect created hardship for millions of people in Afghanistan, and with the developments in 2021, that situation was amplified. Many families left their homes in search of safety, hoping to find help in larger cities, especially Kabul, Kandahar, Helmand, and Herat.
To assist these internally displaced and needy families, we initiated a fundraising campaign in August 2021. The campaign received contributions from our members, their acquaintances, friends, and families. By the end of August, we had raised a total of $6,257. By early December, the amount raised reached $9,100.80. Ultimately, through our fundraising efforts, we collected a total of $10,100.
The Fundraising Distribution Committee
To properly plan, manage, and oversee the distribution of the funds to qualified and eligible families in Afghanistan, our Executive Committee established a dedicated task force. The committee members included Amanullah Mommandi, Gul Afghan Saleh, Hadi Rakin, Amin Mahmood, Hafizullah Wardak, Hamayon Ibrahim, Mahmoud Samizay, Rafaat Ludin, Masood Sattari, and Habib Rahman Rahmat.
In January 2022, the task force, along with our President and the Chairperson of the Board, held a virtual meeting to discuss the fund’s distribution process. We concluded that the proceeds should be used solely for the immediate benefit of displaced and needy families. To accomplish this efficiently, we utilized the free services of two humanitarian organizations.
Aid Distribution and Partnerships
Afghan Relief Partnership in Kabul
We allocated $6,100 to Afghan Relief, an organization managed by our member Reza Afshar, to distribute staples and supplies to needy families in Kabul. In February, supply packages were distributed to 135 needy families. The distribution process was overseen by Dr. Mosawi, Afghan Relief’s Kabul Representative, and Mr. Walid Howaida, our Kabul Representative. Each distributed package included one sack of flour, one 5-liter bottle of cooking oil, and one large warm winter blanket.
Selab Charity Foundation Partnership in Kandahar
We allocated the remaining $4,000 to the Selab Charity Foundation, managed by Haji Sayed Ahmad Selab, for distribution in Kandahar. The foundation distributed supplies to 95 needy families living in tents. Among these, 84 families received donation packages, while 11 families were given funds to purchase medicine for sick family members. Additionally, 24 families living in tents in Kandahar City received large tarps to cover their leaky roofs.
The supply packages varied depending on the location of the recipients:
- Families within Kandahar City received packages containing 20 kg of rice, 50 kg of flour, and a 10-liter bottle of cooking oil.
- Families located outside Kandahar City received packages containing 20 kg of rice, 50 kg of flour, a 10-liter bottle of cooking oil, 4.5 kg of tea, 5 kg of soap, and 20 kg of sugar.