When Pain Silences Childhood
In a small village in Hattian Bala, Azad Kashmir, 8-year-old Asiya’s laughter had fallen silent. For weeks, she battled unbearable abdominal pain that left her bedridden, unable to attend school or play with her friends. Her parents, already struggling to make ends meet, watched helplessly as their daughter’s condition worsened with each passing day.
We at Kashmir Welfare Foundation have witnessed many such stories — children whose lives hang in the balance because healthcare is too far, too expensive, or simply unavailable. Asiya’s story embodies exactly why our new Mobile Hospital Unit Project is so urgently needed.
Imagine your child in pain and the nearest hospital a day’s journey away. That’s the harsh reality for families living across the mountains of Neelum, Leepa, and Hattian Bala. In these remote communities, reaching medical help often means crossing rivers, climbing steep roads, or waiting for daylight after nights filled with fear.
Fatima, Asiya’s mother, told us through tears,
“I felt like I was watching my child slip away, and there was nothing I could do.”
In those few words lies the anguish of countless parents in Azad Kashmir.
The Hidden Health Crisis in Kashmir
Behind the beauty of Kashmir’s valleys lies a quiet emergency. According to the AJ&K at a Glance 2024 report, there are just 1,148 doctors serving over 4.46 million people — roughly one doctor for every 3,886 residents. The region has only 2,950 hospital beds, meaning one bed for every 1,512 people.
These numbers don’t tell the full story. They don’t show the mother who walks six hours carrying her feverish child, or the elderly man who waits days for medicine that never arrives. They don’t capture the heartbreak of losing a loved one to something as treatable as an infection or appendicitis.
And yet, this is daily life for many families across Kashmir. For every Asiya we save, there are hundreds more we haven’t reached — not because we don’t care, but because hospitals simply can’t reach every village.
A Beacon of Hope in Dark Times
When we learned about Asiya’s suffering, our team acted immediately. We arranged emergency transport to a hospital in Muzaffarabad, covering every cost — from travel to treatment to meals for her family. Doctors diagnosed her condition quickly and confirmed she needed surgery, something impossible to perform in her home district.
We didn’t hesitate.
The operation was successful. Within days, the pain that had haunted her was gone. When Asiya smiled for the first time in weeks, Fatima whispered,
“It was like seeing the sun rise after the longest night.”
That smile became a symbol of what compassion can achieve when distance is no longer a barrier.
A Ripple of Change Across Villages
As word spread through Hattian Bala that Asiya had recovered, something remarkable happened. Families began to believe again. Hope replaced despair. Parents started bringing their sick children forward, asking if help could reach them too.
This is what inspired our Mobile Hospital Unit Appeal — a mission to take healthcare to the people rather than waiting for them to reach hospitals that may as well be worlds away.
Our goal is simple but powerful:
To ensure no child dies because help was too far away.
The Vision: A Lifeline on Wheels
The Mobile Hospital Unit will be a fully equipped vehicle fitted with diagnostic tools, minor surgical equipment, ultrasound, and laboratory facilities. It will travel deep into mountainous and isolated regions, providing:
- Emergency medical care for critical cases
- Maternal and child health services to reduce infant and maternal deaths
- Preventive screenings for diabetes, hypertension, and respiratory diseases
- Vaccination and health education programmes
- Referral services for patients needing advanced treatment
In 2023 alone, more than 5.5 million outpatient consultations took place in AJK’s limited public hospitals. But in rural areas, thousands more went untreated. The Mobile Hospital Unit will bridge that gap — reaching those who currently have no access at all.
How Your Support Will Change Lives in 2025 and Beyond
- 1,148 doctors for 4.46 million people — your help can increase access tenfold.
- 2,950 hospital beds — but thousands live miles away from any.
- 233 Basic Health Units (BHUs), many under-resourced or unreachable.
- Each Mobile Hospital Unit can serve 20,000+ patients a year, including emergency and maternal care.
- Every donation funds fuel, medicines, and outreach, directly saving lives.
A Moment to Act
As you read this, there are children in Neelum, Poonch, and Leepa suffering in silence. Some will not survive the night without medical help.
Your generosity can change that.
By supporting the Mobile Hospital Unit Appeal, you can send doctors, nurses, and vital medical care directly to their doorsteps. Whether it’s £10 or £100, your donation could be the reason another Asiya wakes up pain-free tomorrow.
Sponsor the Mobile Health Unit, urgently needed In Kashmir
From One Life to a Movement
Abdul Basit, Trustee of the Kashmir Welfare Foundation, reflects:
“Asiya’s recovery showed us what’s possible when compassion meets action. Now imagine this multiplied across every valley. That’s the power of a Mobile Hospital Unit.”
Our field teams in Kotli, Neelum, and Muzaffarabad have already identified dozens of villages with critical healthcare gaps. In some of these areas, the ratio of population to doctor exceeds 1 doctor per 10,000 people.
The first Mobile Hospital Unit will focus on:
- Kotli District – covering hard-to-reach mountain communities
- Neelum Valley – areas cut off during winter
- Hattian Bala – where Asiya’s story began
Over time, we aim to expand to every district, ensuring universal access to basic healthcare.
Why UK Donors Matter So Deeply
The British-Kashmiri community has always stood at the heart of our mission. From rebuilding homes after floods to sponsoring orphans, UK donors have consistently shown what true compassion looks like.
Now, we’re asking once more — not for charity, but for partnership.
Your Zakat, Sadaqah, or Regular Giving can help purchase and equip this life-saving Mobile Hospital Unit. Every pound you give strengthens the bond between the valleys of Kashmir and the streets of Birmingham, Bradford, and London.
Together, we can build a legacy of healing and hope.
Why Give Now
Tonight, somewhere in Azad Kashmir, a child like Asiya will cry in pain as her mother prays for dawn. Without your help, her story may end differently.
This is our moment to act. The sooner we complete this unit, the sooner lives will be saved. There is no time to waste.
How Your Donation Helps
Transparency is at the core of our work. Here’s how your support will be used:
- Medical equipment – ultrasound, ECG, sterilisation units, and basic surgical kits
- Fuel and logistics – to reach remote valleys safely and consistently
- Medicines and supplies – for free distribution to patients in need
- Onboard staff salaries – local doctors, nurses, and paramedics
No fixed amount is required — give whatever you can. Every contribution fuels the journey of compassion.
UK Gift Aid Reminder
If you are a UK taxpayer, please tick the Gift Aid box when donating. This simple act increases your donation by 25% at no extra cost. It means your kindness goes even further — more medicines, more patients, more lives changed.
The Road Ahead
Asiya is back at school now, her laughter once again echoing through the narrow lanes of Hattian Bala. Her story reminds us that change doesn’t begin in boardrooms or big hospitals. It begins with compassion — one act, one donation, one life at a time.
With your help, our Mobile Hospital Unit will become a lifeline on wheels, travelling where no ambulance has ever gone before. Together, we can make sure no parent watches their child suffer in silence again.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Mobile Hospital Unit Project?
It’s a mobile medical facility operated by the Kashmir Welfare Foundation, designed to deliver essential healthcare directly to remote communities across Azad Kashmir.
2. Where will the first unit operate?
The first phase covers Kotli, Neelum, and Hattian Bala — regions identified as most in need of emergency and maternal healthcare services.
3. Can I give Zakat or Sadaqah towards this project?
Yes, the project qualifies for both Zakat and Sadaqah donations. Funds go directly toward medical aid, transport, and patient care in underserved areas.
4. How are donations used?
Donations fund medical equipment, medicines, fuel, and staff needed to keep the mobile unit running year-round. Full transparency reports are shared with supporters.
5. Can UK taxpayers boost their donation through Gift Aid?
Absolutely. By ticking the Gift Aid box, your donation increases by 25% at no extra cost, ensuring more people benefit from your generosity.
No child should suffer because help couldn’t reach them. Asiya’s story proves that one act of kindness can change a life — and now it’s your turn to make that difference.
Be the reason a mother smiles again. Be the reason a child laughs again.
Donate now and help us bring healthcare to every valley of Kashmir.
Together, we can turn silence into laughter, pain into healing, and despair into hope.
Sponsor the Mobile Health Unit, urgently needed In Kashmir
Give Sadaqah – Make a World Of Difference to someone in need today
Regular Giving – Your ongoing support helps the poor
