Urgent Aid for Masuma and Murad's Families

Please help make winter and Ramadan bearable for two of my acquaintances trapped in Afghanistan.

Masuma, a single mother raising her two young daughters, is a survivor of child marriage who endured immense violence to secure a divorce. Under the US occupation, she balanced work and education. Now, her life has taken a devastating turn. She and her daughters, aged 23 and 14, have been stripped of their right to education, employment, and financial independence.

Last year, Masuma was diagnosed with a heart condition due to severe stress and hypertension. I helped her and her daughters apply for passports to seek medical care across the border, but she was robbed and couldn’t get their passports.

Murad, another acquaintance, supports a household of six, including his elderly and ailing father, teenage brother suffering from prostate cancer, his wife, his 13-year-old daughter, and his one-year-old infant. He was a policeman under the former government but lost his job after the Taliban's takeover. With limited education and skills, he has been unable to find stable employment since 2021. Life has been particularly harsh for Murad since his brother’s cancer diagnosis, forcing him to take on loans to cover medical expenses for both his brother and frail father.

I have done my best to support these two families. But this year, due to changes in my own circumstances—relocating, switching jobs, and managing living expenses in Chicago—my ability to help has been limited. I humbly ask for your support. Any contribution, no matter how small, will make a meaningful difference in their lives. Thank you for your kindness and generosity.

Your friend,

Fatema