Blyth Rotary continue support for Afghanistan

Picture is of Aziz Shah - member of Blyth Rotary

Rotarians  Reaching Out Across the World

The crisis in a beleaguered corner of the world has prompted a North East Rotary to reach out to help families affected by food shortages and financial deprivation.

While the situation in Ukraine continues to dominate the news headlines, the desperation of ordinary people in Afghanistan since the return to power of the Taliban has not gone away.

One of the members of Blyth Rotary, Aziz Shah, has family he supports in Kabul, and through him the club has sent more than £1,800 so far to help struggling Afghan families.

Blyth Community project lead, Gerald Wallace, said: ‘We tried to contact the Rotary Club of Kabul, but after one email contact was lost and communication with Rotary International regarding their status was inconclusive.

‘However, our colleague Aziz has been supporting his own family in Kabul and has made us aware of the plight of many families who are starving since the Taliban came to power.’

Blyth International Chair Jim Scholfield said that Blyth Rotarians have personally supported an appeal for help and immediately raised £1,800. The money was sent via Aziz to his family, who have distributed it to local families in need.

Aziz said: ‘Since the Taliban came to power there are many ordinary families who are starving. My family in Kabul was very happy to help distribute the fantastic amount that Blyth Rotary raised in such a short time.’

Aziz's family sent back some pen portraits of some of the grateful families they have helped -  one works as a cleaner, living with four sisters and their aged mother, all the sisters are unmarried and without any kind of financial support; another has two daughters and worked as an aviation officer at Kabul airport until the Taliban came to power - she is now unemployed; another recipient and her sister are unmarried and are raising their brother’s five children after he was killed in a bomb attack.

Gerald said: ‘We would like to keep these lines of communication and aid open and would welcome interest from other clubs or individual members.’