Children Fill Up Bottles With Safe Water

Khaled Hosseini Foundation Partnership for Badakhshan Landslide Relief

 The foundation ultimately donated over $63,000 for emergency relief in Afghanistan

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF was pleased to partner with the Khaled Hosseini Foundation to provide immediate relief after the devastating landslides in Badakhshan province in northern Afghanistan. The May 2014 landslides killed hundreds and affected thousands more.

The Khaled Hosseini Foundation was founded by Khaled Hosseini, bestselling and world-renowned author of The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and And the Mountains Echoed, and his wife Roya Hosseini. The Foundation provides humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan. Immediately following the landslides, Salar Nader, well known percussionist, and Salar System held a benefit concert on The Khaled Hosseini Foundation’s behalf, in conjunction with the United Afghan Club and Muslim Students Association at UCLA, and raised over $20,000 for Badakhshan relief efforts.  The foundation matched all amounts raised and ultimately donated over $63,000 for emergency relief in Afghanistan.

UNICEF was among the first responders to reach Badakhshan landslide survivors and provide emergency support. UNICEF partnered with the Afghan Government to distribute basic survival supplies to those who have been made homeless by the disaster. “UNICEF, in partnership with other organizations, did an evaluation of basic needs of the displaced people, and provided high-energy biscuits and non-food items to them,” says Farid Dastgeer, UNICEF Child Protection Officer who has been working in Khwaja Du Koh since the calamity struck. “The non-food items consist of children’s clothing, blankets, first aid kits, and kitchen equipment, so that families can use these for basic cooking and survival.”

UNICEF is also broadcasting radio messages on the importance of proper sanitation and hygiene practices and the importance of immunization in reducing the risk of waterborne diseases. Local religious leaders have also been engaged and are delivering these key prevention messages daily during prayers.

UNICEF has been working continuously in Afghanistan since 1949, making the organization one of the longest-standing international supporters to the country. Over the past 60 years UNICEF has promoted the rights of women and children throughout Afghanistan and worked to bring basic services including:  education, health, protection, water and sanitation to those who are most in need.

Started in 2007, The Khaled Hosseini Foundation has been actively providing aid to women and children in Afghanistan through numerous projects focused on providing shelter to refugee families, economic and education opportunities and healthcare for women and children.  To date, through its partnership with the UNHCR, the foundation has provided funding for 522 shelters resulting in homes for over 3,000 people. The foundation continues to believe that hope for a better future for Afghanistan lies with the betterment and advancement of its most underserved population, women and children.  The foundation's programs focus on this population and the extraordinary need they face. The foundation believes that together we can make a difference. Please visit their site to find out more about the foundation's work and how you can help, www.khaledhosseinifoundation.org.

For more information about the partnership with the Khaled Hosseini Foundation please contact Linda Naugle (lnaugle@unicefusa.org