Bayat Foundation officials said on Thursday that they have distributed food to hundreds of needy families in Paktika province this week in a bid to bring relief to as many local residents as possible.

According to the officials, the food parcels included flour, rice and oil.

This is part of Bayat Foundation’s ongoing efforts to help desperate Afghans survive the freezing winter months.

In the past two months, the foundation has distributed food aid to thousands of people including those living in Herat, Balkh, Nangarhar, Ghazni, Khost, Kunduz, Kandahar, Kunar, Urozgan, Kabul and Bamiyan provinces.

“Today we distributed food to people in Paktika province. This is part of Bayat Foundation’s ongoing food aid campaign, said Salam Sharifi, the head of Bayat Foundation’s southeastern zone.

Sharifi said an assessment was carried out prior to them distributing the food in order to identify families who were in desperate need of assistance.

At risks families in Paktika welcomed the move and called on other charity organizations to also help Afghans.

“Thank you so much to Bayat Foundation for helping us. More people are in need of help here. Allah may reward it (Bayat Foudation),” said Hazrat Mohammad, a resident of Paktika.

“We are grateful to Bayat Foundation that helped us. We call on other organizations to help needy people. More people are in need [in Paktika],” said Noor Mohammad, another resident.

Local officials also welcomed the move and said they hope more charities come forward to help.
“Thank you very much Bayat Foundation for helping families in Paktika province. We call on other charity organizations to help people of this province,” said Mawlawi Mohibullah Hamas, deputy governor of Paktika.

Every winter Bayat Foundation carries out its winter aid program. However, this year it has substantially increased its campaign in a bid to alleviate some of the hunger that is gripping Afghans across the country amid a serious economic crisis.

As a leading Afghan charity organization, the foundation has for years also helped in other key areas. Over the years it has helped build mosques, hospitals, clinics, sport stadiums, and schools in the country.