Dear friends,

I would like to thank you for your generous donations toward the Afghan Refugee Families project in Afghanistan in 2009.  It is note worthy that in spite of hard financial times worldwide, the displaced families in Afghanistan were able to get cost effective timely assistance with your help.  We were able to raise more than $2500.00 from Washington DC Area in a short period of time, which helped bring Muslim Women’s Coalition’s grand total of funds collected over $4000.00.   Thank you for helping MWC and Asia America Initiative in this endeavor. 

Warm regards,

Uzma Farooq
Director for the Greater Washington DC Area

February 9, 2009

Dear friends,                                

Asia America Initiative (AAI) is an organization that has worked for many years in establishing peaceful developmental solutions in areas of conflict through various innovative programs that aim at bringing educational, medicinal and psychological relief for its residents.  In the past, MWC has collaborated with AAI in one such program called Adopt a Classroom which helped bring assistance to the most impoverished Muslim students in Sulu, Mindanao, in Philippines.  Mr. Albert Santoli, the president and director of AAI and a close friend of MWC (because of the assistance with our 2005 Pakistan Earthquake Relief efforts), has written to our organization to help bring relief to the Afghan refugee families who are at the risk of freezing to death this winter. 

According to Asia America Initiative, last winter almost 10,000 people in Afghanistan froze to death because of the very cold weather.  To prevent this tragedy from happening again in 2009, AAI aims to assist the Afghan refugee families in and around Kabul, Afghanistan, such as the Afshar Internally Displaced Persons Camp.  Although there are other aid agencies working in Afghanistan, no one is helping the country’s poorest communities, especially women and children.  About 500 children and their mothers can become a statistic if we don’t collaborate to help now.  Before it is too late, help MWC assist AAI in its endeavor to create a cost effective model humanitarian program for the Afghan refugee children and the widows. 

AAI has received an initial matching grant from the US-based McKie-Hemrick Foundation and is asking MWC to help raise the remaining funds.  The total budget for the program is listed in the attached appeal from Mr. Albert Santoli. 

All donations are tax exempt.  Please make your checks to MWC.  Address: MWC c/o Dr. Tasneem Shamim. 1283 Rte 27, Somerset, NJ  08873.  Call or write to me if you need further assistance. 

Warm regards,

Uzma Farooq

Director, Muslim Women's Coalition
Greater Washington DC Area

P.S. MWC understands that these are tough times and there are various charities that we all give to.  But if you are in some way moved by the appeal for the one of the most poorest of communities in Afghanistan please do not hesitate to help. Just $30.00 dollars can buy 3 blankets for a family and $7.00 boots!