A Journey of Hope
It begins not in Kashmir, but in a warm living room in Birmingham.
A mother, Sadia Malik, scrolls through the Kashmir Welfare Foundation website on a cold December evening. Her children sit beside her, watching a video of snow-covered homes in Neelum Valley.
Winter Relief Journey — Impact Snapshot
Tracking the path of our aid teams from Muzaffarabad to Tao Butt in the frozen north
She pauses at the line that reads: “A single winter pack can keep a family warm through the harshest nights.” She clicks Donate £50, whispers Bismillah, and tells her son,
“We’ll send our warmth where the sun can’t reach.”
That moment, a small transaction thousands of miles away, begins an extraordinary journey.
The Warehouse in Muzaffarabad
The next morning, in a modest shopfront near the Neelum Bridge in Muzaffarabad, volunteers gather around a laptop, checking the latest list of online donations.
We jokingly call it our “warehouse” — though in truth, it’s little more than a small storeroom stacked high with boxes, blankets, and hope.
Among the new entries, one line stands out:
Donation #0192 – The Malik Family, Birmingham.
A white tag with that code is written and tied carefully to a box being prepared —
a sturdy, weatherproof pack containing:
- 3 thermal quilt and fleece blanket
- 2 child-size jackets and socks
- 2 adult shawls
- Gloves, Hats and Scarves
The label reads: “From the Malik Family – With Love and Duas.”
Volunteer supervisor Amir Javed lifts the box carefully.
“Every label is a prayer,” he says. “It reminds us that behind every box, there is a heart.”
❄️ Donate Before The Road Close
The Tailors of Warmth
Before a single pack reaches the warehouse, its components have already sparked life in Muzaffarabad’s small businesses.
In the backstreets of the old bazaar, tailor Sajid Hussain and his apprentices stitch thick coats under dim light. Each order from the Winter Campaign sustains ten families for a month.
“When the world gets colder,” Sajid says, “our machines keep running. That’s how we survive too.”
According to the AJ&K Employment Report (2024), local procurement by relief organisations like the Kashmir Welfare Foundation created over 120 seasonal jobs last winter in Muzaffarabad alone.
That means every donor’s contribution warms not just one family, but an entire chain of livelihoods.
Packing and Verification
At the warehouse, each winter pack is scanned, photographed, and logged with GPS-coded delivery forms. It’s precision built from compassion.
The volunteers pray together before the loading begins. Rows of white boxes gleam under fluorescent lights, each one tagged for a specific village: Kel, Phulwai, Surgan, Tao Butt.
Volunteer manager Farhan Ali checks the forecast — heavy snow is expected in forty-eight hours.
They have one chance to make it through before the pass closes.
“When we load a truck, we don’t see boxes,” he says. “We see families waiting.”
❄️ Deliver Hope Before the Roads Shut
On the Road North
It’s still dark when the convoy leaves Muzaffarabad.
Three trucks, one 4×4, and a support jeep snake along the Neelum River, headlights piercing the mist.
At the wheel of the lead truck is Imran Shah, a veteran driver who has faced avalanches and landslides every winter for the past decade.
He taps the dashboard and mutters, “Insha’Allah we reach before the snow does.”
By dawn they reach Athmuqam, and the air is already colder.
Children wave as they pass, their breath visible in the air. The trucks cross bridges dusted with frost, rumbling through Sharda and Phulwai, the road narrowing into a thread between cliffs and river.
Every bump, every turn, carries not just cargo — but the trust of those who gave.
The Halt at Phulwai
By midday, snow begins to fall. The convoy halts at Phulwai, the halfway point to Tao Butt.
There, the local mosque provides hot tea and shelter for a few hours.
Volunteer Naseer Ahmed checks each truck’s seals. “No leaks, no tears,” he says.
The drivers pray Zuhr together and share stories of previous journeys. One recalls how last year a landslide delayed them for three days.
“We don’t fear the mountains,” Naseer smiles, “we fear being too late.”
❄️ Be the Warmth They Need Tonight
The Ascent to Tao Butt
The final stretch to Tao Butt, Azad Kashmir’s final point and the last inhabited village in Azad Kashmir, is the hardest. The road narrows to a single lane, carved into rock, with the Neelum River roaring below.
Temperature: –11 °C.
Snow depth: over one metre.
The convoy crawls forward in low gear, stopping every few kilometres to clear ice from tyres.
The radio crackles — “Visibility low, but road still open.”
When they finally cross the last wooden bridge into Tao Butt, the sun is sinking behind jagged peaks.
A group of children rush out, shouting, “The trucks are here! The trucks are here!”
Arrival and Distribution
Among the first to receive aid is Arifa, the girl from the opening article of this campaign — Winters in Azad Kashmir: A Season of Beauty and Hardship. Her family lives on the edge of the village, where wind sweeps straight off the glacier.
Volunteer Naseer hands her a box and reads the tag aloud:
“From the Malik Family, Birmingham.”
Arifa’s mother opens the box, eyes widening at the new jackets and the food supplies.
“Allah reward them,” she whispers. “Tell them they have reached us.”
For the volunteers, this moment is what months of planning, packing, and driving are all for.
❄️ Time Is Running Out – Send Help TodayThe Return to Muzaffarabad
The convoy departs before dawn the next day to avoid new snow.
By the time they reach Muzaffarabad, two days have passed and the pass behind them is officially closed.
In the warehouse, each delivery is marked Completed in the digital log. Photos are uploaded, GPS stamps verified. Donation #0192 now shows a green tick — delivered.
“Transparency,” says Trustee Abdul Basit, “is the bridge between trust and action. Donors deserve to see their kindness arrive.”
❄️ Donate Before The Road Close
What the Data Shows
Winter Campaign Metrics (AJ&K 2024)
| Metric | Value | Insight |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (Muzaffarabad → Tao Butt) | 230 km | 2 days average |
| Winter Road Access | 90 days/year | Dec – Mar |
| Avg Jan Temp (Tao Butt) | –11 °C | Extreme cold |
| Winter Campaign Coverage | 1,200 families | Target 2,000 for 2025 |
Each box that completes this route represents a small miracle of coordination — and compassion.
❄️ Act Now – Reach Kashmir Before the FreezeGift Aid Reminder
If you’re a UK taxpayer, tick Gift Aid to add 25% more at no cost.
That extra £12.50 per pack covers another ten miles of delivery or extra fuel to reach an unreachable home.
“Gift Aid doesn’t just add value — it adds distance,” says Basit.
Regular Giving – Keeping the Convoys Ready
Every convoy that moves in December is prepared months in advance.
Through Regular Giving, the Kashmir Welfare Foundation can store supplies and maintain vehicles year-round.
“Without monthly donors,” says warehouse manager Farhan, “we wouldn’t even make it to the starting line.”
Your ongoing support ensures that when the snow comes early, hope is already on the road.
❄️ Send Warmth Before the Snow FallsWhere Your Pack Travels
From the mountains surrounding Muzaffarabad to the far valleys of Gurez and Leepa — your donation moves through Kashmir’s frozen heartlands.
Mountains surrounding Muzaffarabad
Relief teams begin their ascent from base camps, packing winter kits in freezing dawn temperatures.
Neelum Valley
Includes Gurez, Shounter, Surgan, Kel, Arang Kel & Sharda — each village reached by snow-jeeps and foot convoys.
Hattian Bala
Routes extend through Leepa Valley and Chikkar, serving isolated households before heavy snowfall seals the roads.
…and beyond
Further outreach into mountain hamlets where no other aid reaches during winter months.
The Full Circle
Weeks later, in Birmingham, Sadia Malik opens her inbox.
There’s a message from the foundation titled Your Donation Has Reached Tao Butt.
Attached is a photo — a little girl in a red jacket, smiling against the white hills.
Sadia’s son stares at the screen.
“That’s her, isn’t it, Mum? The one we helped?”
She nods, eyes glistening.
“Yes. Our box found her.”
In that moment, she understands what every donor comes to realise:
Giving isn’t about sending something away — it’s about watching it return as gratitude, faith, and hope.
“Each box we send is more than fabric and food. It’s a message that says: ‘You are not forgotten.’
For the families in Tao Butt, every label from the UK carries a prayer written in warmth.”
— Abdul Basit, Trustee
Why Give Now
The route to Tao Butt closes soon after 5 January.
Once it does, no convoys can pass until March.
❄️ Donate Before The Road Close“A single donation now travels farther than any we’ll send later,” says Imran Shah. “Because now is when it matters most.”
FAQs
1. How far is Tao Butt from Muzaffarabad?
Roughly 230 km, taking two days to reach in winter conditions.
2. What does one winter pack include?
The winter packs include multiple items to help a whole family stay warm during the toughest seasons.
3. Can I track my donation?
You can give us a call at anytime to get an update on your Winter Pack for progress. Nonetheless, We do send our emails once distributions are complete. You will also find the details on our blogs section too.
4. How much does it cost to deliver one pack?
£50 covers everything, including local transport and field coordination.
5. When do the final convoys leave?
Our first convoy leaves on the 14th of October, and regular distributions therefter in different areas. We will be distributing in Tao Butt 4 times this season.
