Eid Al Adha Quarbaani / Ethiopian Starvation Crises Update / Afghan Blanket Drive

Eid Al-Adha Qurbaani:

CAI will again, insha'Allah, facilitate the slaughter ritual on Eid Ul Adha day this year, our 14th consecutive year of offering this service. The meat (and skin) from these animals will be distributed to the poor and destitute all over India and Afghanistan. The meat will also replenish meat requirements in the five CAI orphanages in India and Afghanistan. This will be on a strict first come first serve basis as we must make forward arrangements with animal suppliers at today's prices that will spike dramatically as Eid approaches. I urge you to please place your orders now so that we can accommodate as many as possible:

Indian goat (12 - 14 kilos) - USD64 each
Afghanistan sheep (19 - 23 kilos) - USD104 each

Please remember to make your niyyat on Eid day.

Ethiopian Starvation Crises Update:

Sadly, CAI must abandon the relief food-grain distribution in desperate areas of starvation and death of Ethiopia as we could not find a suitable agency to handle the distribution free of admin costs; Mercy Corps International who helped us in past cases now want to charge 15% which is not acceptable. All funds received and not yet instructed for diversion to other projects will be refunded in the very near future, inshaa'Allah.

Afghanistan Blanket Drive Update:

The blanket drive stands at USD12,000 from USD32,000 needed to distribute 2,300 life saving blankets in remote areas of Afghanistan this coming winter. Remember, we lost over 300 plus lives (almost all very young) in 2007 and many in 2008 as well. Each blanket will help keep warm 2 people in very remote and bitterly cold places where misery is a daily curse, especially in winter. I appeal to your good conscience to please help with 1, 2 or several blankets so we can meet our target amount; this drive is sadeqa friendly. This cause needs your urgent attention please.

Jazaak'Allah and Allah (S) Bless.

Yusuf Yusufali