Urgent: Herat Earthquake Relief

Team fundraiser

Omed Habib and Omed Habib are organizing this fundraiser to benefit Bahaar Foundation.

Tax deductible

What Happened?

The urgency of the humanitarian crisis in Herat, Afghanistan, has been sharply magnified by the catastrophic earthquakes that struck in October 2023. Lives have been shattered, communities disrupted, and the fabric of everyday existence torn asunder. The earthquakes left 2,445 people dead, over 9,000 injured, and completely destroyed homes across numerous villages. These figures are not just statistics; they represent individuals—each with a name, a face, and a story to tell. Women, children, and the elderly find themselves at the intersection of vulnerability, exacerbated by an approaching harsh winter that makes immediate intervention critical.

What are our options?

Afghanistan has long been a region in desperate need of sustained humanitarian aid due to decades of conflict, political instability, and natural disasters. Amidst this backdrop, our organization stands as a beacon of long-standing commitment and effective action. Since 2003, the Bahaar Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, has actively engaged in initiatives that span across clean water provision, food distribution, Qurbani offerings, school reconstruction, and educational resource supply for children. We've also worked to economically empower widows through sewing machine donations, all meticulously documented through video for full transparency.

Where do we go from here?

The immediacy and scale of the disaster in Herat call for a strategic, multi-faceted approach that not only addresses urgent needs but also fosters sustainable recovery. The Bahaar Foundation is initiating a targeted fundraising effort to raise $100,000 to serve as a financial backbone for this critical mission.

Fund Allocation

The funds raised will be allocated to key intervention areas, each addressing a distinct but interconnected aspect of the crisis:

Emergency Relief Packages: Partnering with local grassroots organizations and team members, we plan to distribute Emergency Relief Packages comprising essential items such as food, water, clothing, and first-aid kits. Given the upcoming winter, winterization kits, including blankets and portable heaters, will also be included.
Shelter Reconstruction: Leveraging relationships with civil engineering firms specializing in rapid construction, we intend to initiate a speedy yet durable rebuilding of homes. A portion of the funds will also be dedicated to temporary shelters for those whose homes were destroyed.
Educational Continuity: With disrupted schooling for children, we aim to rehabilitate damaged school structures and provide makeshift educational centers in the interim, in coordination with local educators.
Transparency and Accountability: Every dollar spent has been and always will be meticulously documented, and regular status updates will be communicated to all donors. This includes video footage of interventions, GPS-tagged photographs of rebuilt structures, and detailed financial statements to ensure complete accountability.

This isn’t just a monetary transaction; it's an investment in resilience, dignity, and human life. In a world where we can often feel powerless in the face of overwhelming suffering, this is your opportunity to enact tangible change. Your trust, coupled with our on-ground expertise and partnerships, can create a synergy capable of alleviating the horrors this community is facing.

In this moment, as the enduring challenges of Afghanistan intersect with the immediate devastation from the recent earthquakes, your support becomes a crucial component of a larger tapestry of assistance. This is not merely a call for donations; this is an invitation to join a purpose-driven collective action aimed at preserving human dignity during dire times. Your contribution will enable us to amplify our existing programs, and pivot swiftly to emergency relief measures tailored to address the particular horrors of this natural disaster. Let's act together, converting compassion into immediate and meaningful action.