Kashmir charity, Quran teacher collect donations for Turkiye quake victims

By Hilal Mir

SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir (AA) - A Kashmir-based charity, which normally organizes mass weddings for the underprivileged and poor girls, has begun a seven-day collection drive for quake victims in Turkiye.

The We The Helping Hands Foundation charity made its appeal on social media and asked for in-kind donations, especially overcoats, raincoats, long coats, sweaters, beanies, gloves, sleeping bags, scarves, kids clothes and shoes, baby formula and diapers.

The appeal was made after speaking to officials at the Turkiye's Embassy in New Delhi, who briefed the charity about items needed the most.

Shortly after the announcement, the charity received nearly two dozen blankets and winter clothes, its president Omar Wani, told Anadolu. He said the group will transport the donations to the embassy in six to seven days.

Although donors asked for bank account details to deposit cash donations, the charity decided not to accept cash given the hassle of accompanying foreign transactions in a conflict zone like Kashmir.

"Our main work is focused on organizing mass weddings for poor girls and also collecting items that Kashmiri brides usually need such as clothes," said Wani.

The group has a collection center at its main office in Srinagar and one will start in the Pulwama district, said Wani.

"We must empathize with people who have everything one moment and nothing the next," he said.

While the Foundation launched relief efforts at the organizational level, some individuals also have loaned a helping hand.

Rizwana, a resident of Srinagar who holds an online class in Quranic learning, appealed to her cohort of more than 250 students to contribute to relief efforts and persuade others to join.

She told Anadolu that she will send cash contributions through credible organizations.

"We owe it to our brethren in Turkey. We can imagine how thousands of them would have been living cozy lives and then lost everything in a few minutes. Our humble contributions may not amount to much but we want to tell our brethren that we have been anguished deeply by this catastrophe and their loss," she said.

At one of the largest Friday gatherings in the city, at the Jamia Masjid, prayers were held for victims. Similar prayers were held in other parts of the valley.