CharityWatch announces a list of
legitimate, efficient, and accountable charities involved in efforts to aid and
assist the people of Afghanistan after 6.3 – magnitude earthquake.
On Saturday, October 7th, 2023,
an earthquake struck Afghanistan in the western province of Herat. Multiple villages
have been destroyed and upwards of 600 families have been displaced. It is estimated
that as of October 8th, 2023, 1000-3000 people have died and several more injured as a result of the
disaster.
Top Rated
Charities
Doctors Without Borders supports Herat Regional Hospital and manages the facility’s
pediatric section, which includes triage, the emergency room, inpatient and
ambulatory therapeutic feeding centers, a pediatric intensive care unit, and an
intermediate care unit. “When the first earthquake hit this morning,
our teams rushed to evacuate all the children who were admitted, many in
critical condition, from the pediatric inpatient wards of the hospital, which
are run by MSF,” said Lisa Macheiner, MSF project coordinator in Herat. “This
was as a precautionary measure in case aftershocks damaged the building. The
facility was not affected by the earthquake.
CARE: In the wake of the earthquake, CARE
in Afghanistan has immediately started to assess the needs of the affected
communities and to provide emergency assistance by dispatching its mobile
medical clinics and distributing dignity kits and blankets to women and girls
affected by the earthquake.
To help children and families impacted
by the quake, United States Fund for UNICEF has dispatched emergency hygiene kits containing essential
items like bathing soap, laundry soap, a toothbrush and toothpaste, bath towel,
sanitary pads and more. As of Oct. 7th, 2023, UNICEF had already distributed 10,000
hygiene kits to earthquake-affected areas, along with blankets, basic household
items, 1,500 sets of winter clothes and 10,000 tarpaulins for families who lost
their homes.
Mercy Corps has
an active presence in Herat, and is assessing needs alongside partners. The
agency is committed to responding in the weeks and months to come, addressing
urgent water and sanitation needs, and providing cash support to help
communities rebuild and recover.
Donors Beware
Scammers will exploit your feelings of empathy and compassion during times of crisis as a means of siphoning donations away from legitimate charities and into their own pockets. Read CharityWatch’s advice for avoiding charity frauds and scams:
5 Tips For Avoiding Charity Frauds & Scams
10 Tips For Giving In a Crisis
How “Psychic Numbing” Stops Us From Giving