Sharing

Dear friend,

A few days ago, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Herat province, but we are relieved to report that all our children and staff are safe. The structural integrity of our center, built from robust metal containers, has proven its strength as only a few window glasses were shattered. Our thoughts and hearts are with those who have been affected by this earthquake, and we stand in solidarity with them during this challenging time.

In response to the earthquake, we are taking the following actions to assist victims:

• accommodating some families affected by the earthquake to sleep in our center 
• collecting help for the victims in the local community
• making social games and soft entertaining activities for the children who have moved with their families to the open-air places to be safe from partially damaged houses and also safe from the aftershock.

In this link, you can see the girls enjoying the lunch provided by your contribution in our Herat Center

Here, these girls enjoy a vibrant learning experience, where they not only study various subjects but also develop essential personal, artistic, and social skills. Some of them are part of a performing team that also performs for other children in different venues and schools, which brings joy, fun, inspiration, and first of all hope to a much larger audience.

We kindly request that you share this appeal within your network, help amplify our voice, and assist in breaking the isolation in Afghanistan.

PS: We are delighted to share the results of a recent pro-bono evaluation of our work in Afghanistan conducted by Samuel Hall's research team. The full 29-page evaluation report is attached for your review.

• Evaluation (PDF)
  

Dear friend and contributor of our Sharing Campaign,

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to you once again for your invaluable support during these challenging times in Afghanistan. Your contribution continues to play a vital role in making a difference, and we encourage you to help in any way possible, even by only spreading the word. As highlighted by the Representative of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in the country, Fran Equiza, roughly 90 percent of the population in Afghanistan is on the brink of poverty “and children bear the brunt of it” (UN News).

Prioritizing Girls: Given the current circumstances and the specific challenges faced by girls, we have intensified our efforts to prioritize their needs and provide them with the necessary support. We are in the process of developing new activities such as "Home Circus" to overcome their logistical challenges and are actively working on creating local facilities based on our available resources and local possibilities. We are also planning additional initiatives like Girls' Week. As the funds from the Sharing Campaign are limited, our local managing team has made the decision to ensure that at least 70 percent of the food resources are dedicated to the girls. We acknowledge the challenging situation and have had to make various compromises, such as canceling a large Mother's Day celebration due to the authorities' unattainable permissions. The event was planned for all the mothers of our 300+ children to witness their performances.

Herat Center: Presently, we have approximately 200 girls and 110 boys attending our daily programs at the Herat Center. Due to limited funds and inflationary pressures, we can only provide lunch for around 100 children each day. Our management team has implemented a system to prioritize the most vulnerable children, ensuring that they receive lunch on different days and in different shifts. Parents are informed about the schedule, enabling them to plan accordingly. We genuinely wish we could do much more for all these children. However, it's important to note that there is no shortage of fun and joy for any of our girls and boys. The center serves as an oasis of enjoyment, providing them with the best moments of their lives.

27 Social Circus Teams: We now have 27 Social Circus teams, including our Herat Center, operating across 12 provinces in Afghanistan. Each team comprises numerous children, and the youth leaders are actively training them while organizing public performances and workshops for other children as well. To learn more about the 27 teams, please visit www.mmccglobal.org/acn, and if you would like to support their initiatives, please visit www.globalgiving.org/projects/backtolife.

Upcoming Distribution: As we prepare for our next food distribution to the most underprivileged children and families at the end of this month (during the Eid celebration), we kindly request you to share the following link with your network of friends and acquaintances, informing them about how they can participate in and support our Sharing Campaign: www.globalgiving.org/projects/sharing.

Once again, we extend our deepest appreciation for your support and dedication to our cause. Together, we can bring hope and positive change to the lives of the children and families in Afghanistan.

With profound gratitude,