Bayat Foundation steps in to help feed Herat earthquake victims

Bayat Foundation has distributed thousands of food packages and cash aid to desperate earthquake victims in the western province of Herat in Afghanistan over the past three days.

Foundation officials said they will continue distributing critically needed food parcels to the victims of Saturday’s 6.3 magnitude earthquake which destroyed at least 20 villages in Zinda Jan district alone.

Thousands of people have been left homeless, most of whom also lost all their belongings. Coupled with this is the loss of lives. So far over 2,400 people are confirmed dead while another 2,000 were injured.

On Wednesday, officials from Bayat Foundation also donated cash to victims being treated at the Herat Provincial Hospital.

This came after another 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit the same area early Wednesday. A further 140 people were injured in this quake. All of them are now being treated at the Herat Provincial Hospital.

Haji Mohammad Ismail, the vice chairman of Bayat Foundation, also visited the stricken-area and the hospital on Wednesday to help distribute aid. He said the devastation is extensive and that the people are in desperate need of as much assistance as possible.

He said Bayat Foundation teams responded quickly to the disaster and arrived in the area with aid three days ago.

“We came here. Unfortunately, the situation is very bad. People are very worried. Human casualties are high. Destruction is huge. Bayat Foundation always reaches [disaster scenes] quickly. Fortunately, we have been distributing food to 1,500 people for two or three days. More aid will arrive soon,” he said.

Survivors who were given aid expressed their gratitude and said the food handed out daily was an enormous help as they had no way to cook their own food, given that their homes have been destroyed.

Taj Mir, a victim of the earthquake, said: “Food is arriving. It is a lot. There is no shortage.”

Shah Mir, another victim, said: “People are helping us a lot. They help us in every way, from bread to water and tea, etc.”

In addition to delivering life saving aid, another division of the Bayat Group, Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC) has also stepped in to help.

On Wednesday the company installed a telecommunications tower in the Zinda Jan district in order for emergency teams and aid organizations to have access to communications.

Ismail said: “Fortunately, the officials of AWCC and the officials of Herat today installed a tower here to solve the problems of the people.”

Nisar Ahmad Rahimi, zonal head of AWCC in Herat, said: “There was no telecommunication company in this area before. AWCC is now the first telecommunication company that brought its equipment here quickly and installed a tower for the people of these villages which belong to Zinda Jan district.”

Since 2006, the Bayat Foundation has helped rebuild Afghanistan as well as deliver hope and support to the neediest and most at-risk Afghans.

By providing food and clothing; maternity care for women before and during childbirth and to newborn babies; orphan care and education; competitive sports to challenge the youth; and entrepreneurship programs for widows, women and youth, the Foundation’s goal is to rekindle a healthy and hopeful base so that all Afghans have the opportunity to prosper.

The Bayat Foundation has also, for years, been at the forefront of responders to natural disasters and emergencies, by providing aid to the victims in the form of shelter, clothing, food and cash.

The Foundation’s mobile clinic is also often one of the first responders to flood- or earthquake-stricken areas – providing lifesaving emergency medical care.