From a Click in the UK to Warmth in Kashmir
It begins with something simple — a click.
A family in Leicester sits by their radiator one cold evening, scrolling through the Kashmir Welfare Foundation website. They see a photo of snow-covered roofs in Neelum Valley and read that one winter pack costs just £50.
They hesitate for a moment, then press Donate Now.
One Winter Pack — Impact Snapshot
Essential warmth for families facing freezing nights across Azad Kashmir
That single act — done in seconds — sets off a chain of movement nearly 4,000 miles away. Within days, volunteers in Muzaffarabad receive confirmation. A box is added to the list, a label is printed, and the ripple of kindness begins its journey toward the frozen valleys of Azad Kashmir.
This is how warmth truly travels.
Sourcing Hope Locally
The story doesn’t start in a warehouse — it starts in a tailor’s workshop tucked behind the old bazaar in Muzaffarabad.
Here, Sajid Hussain, a local tailor, has been stitching children’s jackets for three winters under the Cozy Kids Project. The orders come in bulk — hundreds at a time — and he employs four neighbours just to keep up.
“When they order 500 coats,” Sajid says, “ten families here get work. It’s not just charity — it’s dignity.”
Every rupee spent here stays in the community. Wool, thread, and zippers are all purchased locally. In a region where seasonal unemployment rises above 35% during winter (AJ&K Statistical Bureau 2024), these orders mean survival.
Your £50 doesn’t just bring warmth to one family; it keeps several others working.
❄️ Donate Now – Be A LifetimeThe Warehouse of Mercy
At the Kashmir Welfare Foundation’s warehouse in Muzaffarabad, volunteers sort through piles of neatly folded jackets, gloves, and quilts.
The air smells faintly of detergent and hope.
Each pack is checked three times — size, content, label.
The system is precise:
- £35 covers winter essentials
- £10 covers fuel and transport to remote valleys
- £5 is administrative — funded entirely by regular givers, not emergency donors
That means 100% of your winter donation goes directly to field delivery.
Volunteer Faiza Ali, who helped deliver to Shounter Valley last month, lifts a box labelled “Donated by the Ali Family, Manchester.”
“When I see names from the UK, I imagine families like mine — mothers keeping their children warm — just in a different world,” she says.
You Can Be Their WarmthRight now, families across Azad Kashmir are battling temperatures that fall below –15°C. A mother’s hands grow numb as she wraps her child in a thin blanket; an elderly man prays for a spark of heat to survive the night. Your compassion can be that spark — the warmth that turns despair into hope.💙 Donate Now – Bring Warmth to Kashmir
Every £10 you give provides a Winter Pack that saves lives.
The Journey North
By late December, convoys begin their climb. Trucks groan under the weight of supplies, tyres chained, headlights cutting through fog.
The lead driver, Imran Shah, radios back:
“Gurez is still open, but only just. We have to reach before the snow does.”
From Muzaffarabad to Kel, Phulwai, and Gurez, the journey can take two days. Each stop is planned carefully; each delivery timed before avalanches seal the roads.
When the convoy halts, the volunteers fan out with clipboards and gloves.
Blankets are handed to widows, food parcels to households identified through local committees, and children’s coats given priority to orphans and those in high-altitude schools.
It’s not chaos — it’s compassion organised with precision.
❄️ Donate Now – Thousands Are Waiting!Arrival in the Frozen Villages
In the high reaches of Neelum Valley, life slows to silence.
Snowdrifts block paths. Smoke rises thinly from mud-brick homes. Families wait at their doors, hoping the next sound is that of the Kashmir Welfare Foundation convoy.
When it finally appears, a wave of relief sweeps the crowd.
Humaira, a nine-year-old from Shounter Valley, presses her face into a new red coat, smiling shyly. Rashid Khan, from Phulwai, carries home a fuel voucher that will last his family another month.
And in each of these stories, one constant remains:
That warmth began with a donor far away — someone who believed kindness could cross mountains.
Transparency You Can See
At the Kashmir Welfare Foundation, accountability isn’t just a policy — it’s a promise.
Every penny we raise is treated as an Amanah (trust), and we regard full transparency as both our Islamic duty and our moral responsibility.
That’s why our own field teams personally oversee the purchase, packing, and delivery of every aid item. We source materials from local people we’ve trained and equipped through our Empower Lives – Income Generation Project, ensuring fair market value and sustainable livelihoods within Azad Kashmir.
Our network of local volunteers identifies families most in need, using verified community lists. Each operation targets one area at a time — prioritising remote, hard-hit winter zones before heavy snow closes access.
All field deliveries are geo-verified through mobile GPS (using our in-house tracking system) and photo-documented by our volunteers. These reports are then uploaded to our Winter Campaign blog, allowing UK donors to follow real impact stories instead of generic updates.
Because for us, transparency isn’t just shown — it’s proven.
“Transparency is our trust,” says Abdul Basit, Trustee.
“Every pound is accounted for — from your screen to their doorstep.”
Impact You Can Measure
- 1 winter pack = 1 family protected from cold for 3 months
- 1 convoy = 300 to 400 families reached
The AJ&K Bureau of Statistics (2024) recorded a 27% drop in reported frostbite and child pneumonia in areas covered by the Kashmir Welfare Foundation’s previous campaigns.
It’s not just warmth — it’s measurable impact.
❄️ Donate Now – Winter Packs Only £50Gift Aid – The Multiplier of Mercy
When a UK donor ticks Gift Aid, the government adds 25% more to the donation.
That means:
- £50 → £62.50
- Enough for another pair of gloves, socks, and heating fuel
It’s free, instant, and life-changing.
“That little tick box means I can keep another child warm,” says Sarah, a donor from Birmingham.
“It’s the easiest way to give extra without spending more.”
Regular Giving – The Long-Term Lifeline
Seasonal giving saves lives. Regular giving changes futures.
Through Monthly Giving, Kashmir Welfare Foundation pays warehouse rent, covers admin costs, and secures advance supply orders for winter 2026.
Even £10 a month keeps operations ready long before the crisis begins.
This means when roads start to freeze, the foundation is already moving — not waiting for funds to come in.
Beyond Blankets
Every blanket you give becomes part of a larger story — one of livelihoods restored, children protected, and faith strengthened.
In Muzaffarabad, Sajid the tailor says,
“When I stitch a coat, I think of the child who will wear it. I pray it reaches in time.”
In Gurez Valley, volunteer Imran whispers,
“When I deliver that coat, I think of the hands that paid for it.”
And in London or Manchester, donors check their inboxes to find photos of children smiling, wrapped in warmth their hearts helped send.
This is the circle of mercy that the Winter Campaign sustains — each link connected, transparent, and alive with sincerity.
The Bigger Picture
| Indicator (AJ&K Statistics 2024) | Value | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Winter Temp (Neelum) | –9.5 °C | Extreme cold stress |
| Households below poverty line | 38% | Direct beneficiaries |
| Child pneumonia cases (Dec–Feb) | +32% seasonal spike | Relief impact metric |
| Access roads closed annually | 70 days avg | Delivery urgency |
Transparency isn’t just reporting. It’s accountability with heart.
It’s knowing that when a donor asks, “Where does my money go?”, the answer is not a brochure — it’s a living example in a mountain home.
“Donors often ask, ‘Does my small contribution make a difference?’
❄️ Donate Now – Make A World of Difference
I tell them — it’s never small when it travels this far.
Every pound passes through careful hands, checked twice, prayed over, and delivered to those who need it most.”
— Abdul Basit, Trustee, Kashmir Welfare Foundation
Why Give Now
Because the convoys are leaving.
Because families like Rashid’s in Phulwai have already run out of firewood.
Because a coat stitched today reaches Gurez before the road closes — but not if we wait another week.
“When you give today, you don’t just send aid,” says Faiza Ali.
“You send us strength to keep moving.”
👉 Donate Now to the Winter Campaign
A Donor’s Reflection
Back in Leicester, Aisha and Omar, who made that first online donation, receive a photo a few weeks later — a child in a red coat, smiling in the snow.
Aisha holds her phone quietly.
“That’s her,” she says softly. “That’s who we helped.”
Omar nods. “We didn’t just send blankets. We sent warmth that reached the soul.”
How You Can Help
What Your Winter Donation Provides
Every pack is prepared in Kashmir and delivered by our volunteers to families facing freezing temperatures.
FAQs
1. How does the Winter Campaign ensure transparency?
Every convoy and pack is recorded, verified, and publicly reported through the Kashmir Welfare Foundation blog and field updates.
2. Where are the materials sourced from?
All winter supplies are procured from local markets in Muzaffarabad to create jobs and ensure cultural suitability.
3. How much of my donation reaches the field?
100%. Admin costs are covered by separate regular donors. We have a specific admin fund that covers those costs.
4. Can I see proof of delivery?
We regularly publish progress blogs
5. When is the donation deadline?
The final convoy departs by 5 January 2025, before snow closes access routes to Gurez and Upper Neelum.
