A House of Silence
In Athmuqam, where the mountains press close and the Neelum River freezes at its edges, an old woman waits alone. Her name is Hajra Begum, age seventy-eight. Her house is made of stone and mud, its roof bowing under snow. A small clay stove crackles in the corner, its flame flickering like a heartbeat.
“Some winters,” Hajra says softly, “the wind is the only voice I hear.”
Her son died in the 2005 earthquake. Many of her neighbours moved to the city. Now she lives on what little she can grow and the occasional visit from relief workers. Only a handful of people remaining in the village.
Elder Winter Care — Impact Snapshot
Focused relief for elderly residents of Athmuqam & Leepa Valley before 5 January 2025
Each morning she wraps a wool shawl around her shoulders, pours boiling water into a cup to warm her hands, and recites Qur’an verses to steady her heart.
The Forgotten Generation
In the valleys of Azad Kashmir, winter is not just a season — it is a test of faith.
For the elderly, it is often a test of survival.
The AJ&K Population and Health Survey (2024) shows that 11.8 % of the region’s people are aged 60 or above, and over 60 % live in multi-dimensional poverty. In remote mountain zones like Athmuqam and Leepa, many spend the cold months alone — children having moved to Muzaffarabad or across the border for work.
Deliveries are still continuing — urgent need, donate now.
The data tells one story. Hajra tells another.
❄️ Donate Now – Keep Families Warm“My knees ache too much to fetch wood,” she says. “I break old chairs for fire. Still, Alhamdulillah, Allah keeps me alive.”
The Knock at the Door
One afternoon, as snow thickened and the light dimmed, Hajra heard a knock.
It was a team from the Kashmir Welfare Foundation, part of their Winter Campaign Elderly Care Track.
They carried blankets, rice, and a fuel voucher. A young volunteer named Sohail Rafiq stooped to clear the snow from her doorstep.
“We heard you had no wood,” he told her. “Today you will sleep warm.”
Hajra smiled for the first time that day. She made dua for him, for the unknown donors who had sent help, and for the snow to stop just long enough to keep the road open.
Lives Lived in Isolation
Across Kashmir’s northern districts, thousands of elders like Hajra face the same silence.
The AJ&K Social Protection Report (2024) notes that two-thirds of elderly households depend entirely on relatives or charitable aid.
But in winter, even relatives cannot reach them.
Without electric heating, they burn whatever they find — corn husks, cardboard, old clothes. Some go days without a hot meal.
In Leepa Valley, where temperatures drop below –12 °C, a widower named Abdul Ghafoor keeps a notebook by his stove. Inside it are names of people who once visited.
Now the pages stay blank for weeks.
“We don’t fear death,” he writes. “We fear being unnoticed.”
❄️ Donate Now – Keep Families Warm
Compassion on the Move
Each December, the foundation’s volunteers identify villages with high elderly populations and little road access.
Teams split into small convoys with donkey-carried packs where vehicles can’t go.
Inside each Elder Winter Pack:
- 1 heavy quilt and 1 fleece blanket
- Wool socks and a cap
- 15 kg of flour and lentils
- Heating fuel or firewood voucher
- A handwritten note in Urdu that reads, “You are not forgotten.”
“For them, it is not just heat they need,” says volunteer Sohail. “It is to be remembered.”
Faith in the Frost
Hajra unfolds her prayer mat beside the new blanket and says,
“When I can no longer go to the mosque, Allah sends the mosque to my door.”
The quiet simplicity of her words lingers. Her home is humble, but the gratitude inside it could fill a valley.
Later, as volunteers depart, she presses Sohail’s hand. “Tell the ones who sent this that I pray for them after every Fajr.”
For donors in the UK, these prayers travel faster than any convoy.
What the Numbers Reveal
| Indicator (AJ&K 2024) | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Elderly (60 +) share | 11.8 % | ≈ 400,000 people |
| Elderly poverty rate | 63 % | Limited income & family support |
| Winter illness increase | +42 % | Respiratory & joint disease spike |
| Medical aid access in winter | 37 % | Roads & cost barriers |
Numbers confirm what eyes already see — cold takes its heaviest toll on those who move slowest.
“Our elderly deserve more than survival. They built the homes we now protect. Through the Winter Campaign we prioritise those living alone, ensuring they receive fuel, food, and company before the roads close.”
— Abdul Basit, Trustee
How Your Donation Helps
- £50 = Full Elderly Winter Pack (blankets, food, fuel)
- £100 = Two weeks of heating for an elderly household
- £250 = Supports a cluster of five isolated elders
- £1,000 = Funds a micro-convoy to Leepa Valley
All purchases are local, so each pound circulates within AJ&K’s economy.
❄️ Donate Now – Keep Families WarmGift Aid – Multiplying Mercy
Tick the Gift Aid box and the UK government adds 25 %.
£50 becomes £62.50 — enough for extra fuel or medication.
“That tick is worth more than you think,” says Trustee Basit. “It’s the warmth of a second blanket.”
Volunteer Reflection
After leaving Athmuqam, Sohail writes in his journal:
“We delivered eight packs today, but what they needed most was time — someone to listen.”
The foundation now trains its teams to spend minutes with each elder — reading dua, checking their roof, sharing tea. It is slow work, but holy work.
Why Give Now
Snow has already closed three routes in Neelum and two in Leepa.
For many elders, this week is the last chance for delivery before the deep freeze.
❄️ Donate Now – Keep Families Warm“Winter does not wait,” says Sohail. “But neither should we.”
Dua of the Forgotten
That night, under a dim oil lamp, Hajra raises her hands:
“Ya Allah, bless the ones who remembered me when the world was quiet.”
Outside, the snow continues to fall, but inside, the air is soft with peace.
FAQs
1. Who receives Elder Winter Packs?
Elders aged 60 + living alone or without family support in rural Kashmir. We don't have a specific budget for the Elder Winter Packs but we ensure that we prioritise the young and elderly during these difficult times.
2. How are they identified?
Through our previous work in there areas, including medical camps, we have a list of elderly in areas that we have already supported. They have already been vetted for Zakat eligibillity.
3. Can I dedicate a pack to someone?
Yes — each pack can include a donor’s message or dedication note. Please add this on to your donor notes and we will ensure that your note reaches the person who recieves your pack.
4. How much does one pack cost?
£50 provides blankets, food, and fuel for a month. There are multiple donation options though so its worth checking that too.
5. When is the cut-off for deliveries?
Convoys to high altitude zones depart by 5 January 2025. The other zones we will be distributing throughout the winter months.
