Please consider donating to support displaced female tailors in Kabul who are sewing high-quality sleeping bags to distribute to vulnerable families across Afghanistan for emergency winter relief. 

Every $45 makes one sleeping bag, providing an income for the tailors and a lifetime of warmth for children and families. We have already trained eight female tailors who have sewn 200 high-quality sleeping bags that have been distributed to 50 of the most vulnerable families in the Qambar camp, where many Afghan families displaced due to war and conflict are residing. 

We are looking to sew another 800 sleeping bags before wintertime and reach more conflict-affected families. Help us reach our goal!

“I support this as a sustainable solution to one of the many issues our people face. I urge you to quickly extend this program to cover everyone in this camp. This program also supported the tailors who are IDP girls, and they do not have any employment opportunities in the current situation of Afghanistan.” - Community elder in Qambar camp.

A quote from a recipient (name changed for privacy):

“We finally felt warm this winter. I felt comfort seeing my children sleeping inside those bags. They’re perfect for this weather—warm at night, and we even use them as blankets during the day.” -Mohammed

A quote from one of the female tailors (name changed for privacy): 

"The income helped us cover some of my father’s medical costs and buy food for the family. I saw how this program changed my life. Now I want to help other marginalized girls see that same change.” -Zahra

The Need:

In Afghanistan, where temperatures commonly drop below freezing in the winter, sleeping bags are one of the most cost-effective, sustainable, and immediately impactful forms of support we can offer during the winter months to displaced populations living in temporary shelters and camps.

Families in Eastern Afghanistan have lost their homes due to the recent earthquakes, making it even more difficult for them to stay warm during the winter. Without even basic shelter, sleeping bags become even more needed.

Families in other parts of Afghanistan face similar challenges. In the Bamyan Province, families reside in caves, each functioning as a single-room home for entire households. These rock shelters lack insulation or heating, and winter temperatures are severe, often dropping to -15°C to -25°C (-5°F to -13°F), with heavy snowfall and biting winds.

Families in Qambar camp face serious health risks during cold, nighttime temperatures, particularly children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses. Here are some statistics we collected from surveying 50 camp residents (prior to receiving sleeping bags):

• 28% of families did not have any active methods to stay warm (e.g. fuel for fires, hot water jars); the rest obtained heating materials through donations
• The majority of the families sent children to obtain heating materials; 38% of the families reported that children had to miss school to collect heating materials.