A struggle that should have ended decades ago
Imagine waking up every morning knowing that your first task of the day isn’t preparing breakfast, sending your children to school, or getting ready for work — but walking over thirty minutes just to collect water.
For thousands of families in Kotli Sohalan Muhajir Camp in Azad Kashmir, this is not imagination. It is life.
These are families who fled the turmoil of Maqbooza Jammu and Kashmir between the 1990s and 2005, escaping violence, persecution, and uncertainty. They came to Azad Kashmir hoping for peace and stability. But decades later, they are still trapped in hardship — this time fighting for the most basic human necessity: clean water.
A daily struggle for survival
In Kotli Sohalan Muhajir Camp, water scarcity is a silent emergency. Every single day, women, children, and the elderly walk long, painful distances to fetch water. Balancing heavy clay pots or metal vessels on their heads, they travel back and forth from the nearest water source — an exhausting task repeated multiple times a day.
For those who own motorcycles, the journey is slightly easier. But for most, it is a test of endurance. Children miss school. Mothers suffer back and neck pain. The elderly fall ill. And all for a few litres of murky, unsafe water.
“We fled bullets and bombs,” says one elderly refugee, “but now we fight thirst.”
This is not how life should be for people who have already suffered displacement and loss.
Why hand pumps failed
Over the years, various charities and government bodies have tried to help. Hand pumps were installed across the camp, but most reached only 40 to 50 feet underground — too shallow to access sustainable water reserves.
The shallow wells soon dried up. The pumps broke down. The community once again found itself abandoned, facing the same desperate question each morning: where will we find water today?
Without clean water, life becomes a constant cycle of disease and exhaustion. Children fall sick from contaminated water. Mothers spend their days searching instead of earning or caring. The hope that once brought them here slowly fades.
The solution: a deep water bore and clean water tank
Kashmir Welfare Foundation has developed a permanent, sustainable solution — one that will bring dignity and stability back to this resilient community.
Our plan is to dig a 350-foot deep bore, reaching far below the shallow dry layers into pure, natural groundwater. Water begins at around 250 feet, but by going deeper, we secure the future.
Alongside this, we will install a clean water storage tank so that families can collect water easily and safely.
This project includes:
- A 350-foot borehole drilled into secure water layers.
- A high-capacity electric motor to lift the water to ground level.
- Electric wiring and regulator to ensure safe and stable power.
- A concrete water storage tank for the community.
- Durable piping and waterproof casing for long-term sustainability.
- A pully system for maintenance and motor retrieval.
💧 Total Project Cost: £3,200
Once complete, this system will provide clean water for hundreds of displaced families — every single day, for years to come.
A gift that keeps giving – Sadaqah Jariyah
Clean water is not just life-saving, it is Sadaqah Jariyah — a charity that continues to reward you long after you are gone.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The best charity is giving water to drink.” (Hadith, Ahmad)
Every drop that fills a glass, every mother who no longer walks in pain, and every child who grows up healthy because of clean water — all become part of your ongoing reward.
When you give through Kashmir Welfare Foundation, your donation becomes a stream of blessings flowing endlessly through time.
Voices from the ground
Abdul Basit, Chair of Kashmir Welfare Foundation, shares:
“When I visited Kotli Sohalan Muhajir Camp, I was shocked. These families fled war decades ago, yet they are still living like refugees, without clean water. Kashmir is not a playground for suffering. Kashmiri lives matter, and it’s our duty to restore their dignity.”
One of the camp mothers, Fatima, expressed her gratitude through tears:
“We have prayed for years for a day we could fill our pots without walking for miles. If Allah sends us water through your charity, it will be like He answered our prayers.”
These are not just stories. They are calls for mercy, for justice, for compassion.
The long-term impact of your donation
When you donate to this project, you are not only providing water — you are transforming lives:
- Children return to school instead of walking for water.
- Mothers regain their strength and time to care for their families.
- Elderly refugees live with dignity, no longer dependent on unsafe sources.
- Health improves as waterborne diseases decline.
- Faith in humanity and hope in Allah’s mercy are renewed.
This is how lasting change begins — with compassion turned into action.
Join the movement for clean water in Kashmir
Your donation, no matter how small, becomes part of something extraordinary.
🌱 £3,200 funds a full deep bore and water tank project.
💧 £100 helps install piping and electrical systems.
💦 £50 provides materials for tank construction.
🏡 £25 helps cover maintenance and wiring.
Every contribution matters. Together, we can ensure no family in Kashmir walks for water again.
Be the reason a child in Kashmir never has to walk for water again.
➡️ Donate now to our Water Projects – Kashmir Welfare Foundation
A ripple of hope that never fades
When a community receives clean water, everything changes. The environment becomes healthier. Livelihoods improve. Faith grows.
Water is life, but it is also hope — a symbol of renewal and mercy.
Your generosity will echo through generations. Let this be your legacy.
Final Call to Action
You have the power to end their thirst.
Donate now, and be part of a legacy that flows forever.
🌊 Main Appeal: Water Projects – Wells & Clean Water for Kashmir
https://kashmirwelfarefoundation.org.uk/water-projects
🌱 Also Give: Sadaqah
https://kashmirwelfarefoundation.org.uk/sadaqah
🤝 Make It Ongoing: Regular Giving
https://kashmirwelfarefoundation.org.uk/regular-giving
FAQ: Clean Water for Refugee Families in Kashmir
1. Where is Kotli Sohalan Muhajir Camp located?
It is a refugee settlement in Azad Kashmir, home to families displaced from Maqbooza Jammu and Kashmir during the 1990s–2000s.
2. Why is clean water such a challenge in this area?
Most hand pumps only reach shallow depths of 40–50 feet, where water has dried up. A deep borehole is needed to access reliable groundwater.
3. How much does it cost to build a deep water bore and tank?
The full project cost is £3,200, covering drilling, motor, tank, wiring, and maintenance system.
4. Is this considered Sadaqah Jariyah?
Yes. Providing clean water is one of the most rewarding forms of Sadaqah Jariyah, as the benefits continue for years.
5. How can UK donors help?
You can make one-time or monthly donations online through the Kashmir Welfare Foundation’s Water Projects page to support this initiative.
