Comfort Aid International

Bihar Project

Most Khojas born and living outside India have strong emotional and some links to the State of Gujraat, India and considerable resources pour into her. I have been to this richest state in India and am puzzled by all the attention she gets. Anyway, I was blessed with a visit to Kishanganj, Bihar some 2 weeks ago and was appalled by the backwardness of our community and the shocking illiteracy of her children. CAI has put in place few economic uplifting programs for widows and few poor rickshaw service providers. Most needed however, is an elementary school, a small one, for the children who while away their time in play within dirty and disease ridden surroundings. This school will cost about USD23,000 to build and about USD3,200/year to operate. CAI already has half the funds pledged and invite you to invest for the balance. The following few photos tell a telling picture of our community at Kishanganj.

Bihar Bihar

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Where you can make a difference...

There are several projects Comfort Aid International is currently working with. However, of these many projects, some require urgent attention:

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	Imam Hussein (A) School: This school will educate over 4,000 very poor and destitute children from the slums of Daste Barchi outside Kabul. Over a million internally displaced refugees live here in very poor conditions. We may not be able to help them with everything but the best help is to educate them. The project cost of school is USD950,000 out of which USD640,000 has been pledged / donated.
	Water is a major issue in Afghanistan and an overwhelming agony, especially for the children and women of Afghanistan who spend an inordinate time in its harvest. They brave severe elements and toil to carry drums of water great distances. It is heart wrenching to see young girl orphans spend all their time in this task when they should be in school creating an opportunity for a productive life. CAI has made possible many bore and deep water wells but the need is for many, many more.
	Bihar is the most poor and backward state in the union of India and minorities bear the brunt of this poverty and backwardness. There has been an urgent need for a boys orphanage in Bihar for the last 10 years. Unfortunately, no NGO or help agency wants to venture into areas so backward and basic. CAI will begin an orphanage as soon as funding is available and solicit your help.
	Unfortunately, there are very few orphanages in India that cater for girl orphans so there is tremendous pressure on few existing ones, which have long waiting lists. CAI supports Sakina Girls Home in Mumbai that houses 77 girl orphans in a 2,100 sq ft area and cannot take anymore of hundreds that are in waiting. Work on the orphanage will begin very shortly and the orphans on waiting list accommodated.
	There are no girl orphanages in Afghanistan although thousands of girl were orphaned due to the massacre by Talibaan. Many of these orphans have become virtual slaves to new fathers or relatives that care for them and there have also been reports of sexual abuse on a few. CAI is attempting to establish an orphanage along the lines of one established for boys in Heraat. As soon as funding is made available, CAI will begin housing these in a temporary shelter and then move to a custom built structure.
	CAI regularly receives urgent appeals from poor or destitute for emergency medical surgery or treatment. Most of sadeqa funds we get goes towards this cause; however, the problem is huge and acute. Please help save a life.

CAI is spearheading relief to the earthquake disaster victims in Haiti, insha'Allah. There is a lot of food going into Haiti from donor countries (with poor logistics of distribution) but not enough water and medical supplies. SHINE, a California based humanitarian group has people on the ground in the Dominican Republic and will move into Haiti shortly, after arranging for proper logistics. They will distribute our share of contributions without any administration costs, music to our ears.

They will, IF LOGISTICALLY POSSIBLE, include a note in French with the following message in every package distributed:

This help is provided to you in the name of our Master, Hussein ibne Ali (A) who was mercilessly martyred thirsty, hungry and wounded along with his entire family in Kerbala, Iraq in supreme sacrifice for God and humanity.

Time is very critical for the people of Haiti who have lost so much and are so very, very desperate for our help. Please, please help, in the name of Imam Hussein (A) whose grief and helplessness we lament in anguish. Allah forbid, we may be in a similar situation one day? We are all Allah's creation, all of us and our duty to Allah calls for us to pitch in now. Please donate or pledge now at comfortaid.org.

Allah bless.