UK Afghan groups mobilise to help relief efforts after Afghanistan quake
Mosques and charities are collecting donations to provide displaced families with food, clothing and shelter
Charities, community groups and mosques across the UK are mobilising to raise money for Afghanistan after a deadly earthquake struck the country’s eastern provinces on Sunday.
Hyphen has spoken to organisations in London and Glasgow collecting money that will be sent to volunteers on the ground in Afghanistan to provide food, clothing, shelter, medicine and other essentials to displaced families.
The Disasters Emergency Committee, a network of 15 leading UK aid charities, has said it is closely monitoring the situation in Afghanistan, but that its criteria for launching its own appeal has not yet been met.
Taliban government officials reported on Tuesday that more than 1,400 people had been killed and at least 3,250 others injured. The 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit shortly before midnight on Sunday, with its epicentre about 27 kilometres from the city of Jalalabad.
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The mountainous provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar were worst affected, with entire villages reduced to rubble. Government officials said the death toll was expected to rise as rescue teams searched for survivors under collapsed buildings. However, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has warned that many of the areas are inaccessible due to heavy rain and flooding in the region prior to the earthquake.
The Afghanistan and Central Asian Association, a charity based in Feltham, west London, has launched a fundraiser to help displaced families. The organisation has around 100 volunteers in Afghanistan, with some working in the regions affected by the earthquake.
“Our volunteers tell us families are sleeping in the open, without food, shelter or medical care. The need is urgent and more support is desperately required,” said Sheekeba Nasimi, legal and development manager at the charity.
“We are raising funds to help with emergency food parcels and clean drinking water, vital medical supplies, blankets and temporary shelter for displaced families. We are also looking into providing mental health and trauma support for the young children involved.”
The IRC said on Monday that it was “profoundly fearful” of the impact the earthquake will have on communities, warning that Afghanistan was already facing a “severe humanitarian crisis with over 22.9 million people in urgent need of aid”. The UK government has pledged £1m in emergency funding, which will be split between the UN Population Fund and the International Red Cross.
In Glasgow, the Umar Mosque is working with a local charity, the Afghan Human Rights Foundation, to collect donations. Donations can be made through the mosque’s website, but donors should mention “Afghanistan Earthquake 2025” when making a payment.
The foundation aims to create awareness of humanitarian issues in Afghanistan, including famine, natural disasters and the treatment of women and girls. The charity also runs an advice centre for Afghan refugees living in the UK and campaigns for fair and just treatment of asylum seekers.
Masood Najid, a trustee of the mosque, said some of its committee members were from Kunar and Nangarhar and that donations were being sent directly to contacts in Afghanistan.
“We are from Afghanistan, so we are in contact with lots of people in the affected areas. In the past we have given money to charities, but the problem is that a lot of the money goes towards wages and other costs. If we know trusted people there, we try to send the money directly.
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“At the moment, people need everything. They need medication, bedding and clothes. Afghanistan is a poor country, so the houses are not very strong. They tell us that 90 to 95% of the houses are damaged.”
Mosaic Global Foundation (MGF), a London-based charity that helps refugees integrate by organising community activities, social events and cultural celebrations, is also raising money for people affected by the earthquake. The charity is working with the Afghanistan Development Academy (ADA) — an NGO that runs online educational courses for students in the country.
ADA workers are currently assessing the affected areas to determine how best to support relief efforts. The organisation currently has about 50 volunteers in Afghanistan.
“In this type of situation, many people are trying to send blankets, food, and build shelter,” said Ahmad Ershad Sediqi, the London-based founder and president of the ADA. “But it might be that cash assistance is more helpful, so that people can buy their own medicine, food and other things. We will work with other charities and organisations. If they are already providing food, we will see what we can add.”
MGF asks that, when making a donation through its website, those wishing to support the earthquake appeal should leave a comment saying so.
