Last year I ran 100km whilst fasting during Ramadan and raised £11k which went towards providing food packs for refugees and displaced people in camps in Greece and Lebanon. This Ramadan, I’m running 150km whilst fasting, with the slightly more ambitious target of raising £50k. All donations will go to our Run For Ramadan – Afghanistan Appeal, which will support our incredible partners providing essential services to those in and fleeing Afghanistan.
As well as refraining from eating and drinking, Ramadan is also a time of charity and giving back.
Why Afghanistan?
Since the fall of Kabul in Afghanistan last year, we have seen an unprecedented number of requests for food, housing, legal and mental health support from those in and fleeing Afghanistan. Last year, the Taliban took over the central government in Afghanistan by force, this shift put many people’s lives in danger and caused hundreds of thousands to flee the country, with millions more trapped inside. People living in Afghanistan are still to this day facing unthinkable circumstances and the world has turned away.
The economy is on the brink of collapse and an estimated 23 million people are facing potentially life-threatening food insecurity. More than half of Afghanistan’s population (22.8 million people) are experiencing acute food insecurity. UNICEF estimates that 3.2 million children in Afghanistan will suffer from acute malnutrition this year alone.
What will the funds be used for?
Funds raised during Choose Love’s Run for Ramadan campaign will be distributed to partners supporting Afghan people. Your kindness will help to fund:
- Food baskets for displaced people
- Essential medical supplies and care
- Support for newly arrived Afghan people as they rebuild their lives in the UK and US
We have seen with the situation in Ukraine that when we come together and act quickly, we can provide lifesaving services to those fleeing unimaginable circumstances.
Likewise this should also serve as a moment to highlight how we cannot be selective about who deserves support and that the lives of human beings, wherever they may be, have the same value. Simply put, everyone deserves the same compassion and no one should go without food. That’s why I’m fundraising.
Thanks so much!
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