Announcement

Survivors of Attack Receive Assistance

USAID credit program distributes food items to survivors of a Baghlan suicide attack.

 | Thursday, January 24, 2008

The Baghlan Investment and Finance Cooperative (IFC), supported by the USAID ARIES credit program, recently completed its distribution of food items to survivors of the November suicide attack in Baghlan, which killed six parliamentarians and more than 50 residents of Baghlan province, including school teachers and students.  The assistance, funded through the IFC’s Zakat (almsgiving) reserve account, was provided to 163 families who each received 10kg of cooking oil, 25kg of rice, 7kg of beans, 4kg of tomato paste, 7kg of sugar, and 1kg of tea.

Additionally, education accounts were established for 99 children directly injured, and development accounts were established for 64 families who lost children.  Note:  IFCs are designed to be Sharia-compliant financial institutions. Zakat, as one of the five pillars of Islam, is an obligation for individuals and institutions. It is a charitable donation given annually to the disadvantaged and poor members of communities.