Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has initiated a winterisation relief project in Afghanistan as part of its ‘Warm Winter 2017-2018 campaign.’ 
Pegged at $160,000 (QR584,000), the project is aimed at alleviating the suffering of the needy and displaced people by distributing winterisation aid to 1,500 families (7,500 people) in three provinces.
In October 2017, an agreement was signed with the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) to regulate all preparations and logistics. 
The lists of beneficiaries, as well as the specifications and quality of supplies, were double-checked. Governors, heads of municipality, and MPs were engaged in the distributions.
A total of 500 families in Kunar have already received the aid: 185 families in Asadabad, 175 families in Asmar, and 140 families in Shaigal. This week, the remaining 1,000 handovers will continue in Baghlan and Daykundi provinces.
Each winterisation package consists of three blankets and winter clothes for four children of various ages (jackets, knit caps, and gloves), as per the international shelter and NFIs standards.
Such distributions were lauded by the local authorities and beneficiaries. 
Farid Allah Hassan, acting governor of Kunar, thanked QRCS for the aid given to the neediest families, wishing for more aid in other fields, particularly in healthcare, water and sanitation, and livelihood.
Mohamed Iqbal, East Afghanistan district manager, ARCS, said the co-operation between QRCS and his organisation is not new in the eastern part of the country. 
“Last year, we co-implemented a Ramadan Iftar project. Earlier, there had been a multi-sector project in two districts of Nangarhar province,” he noted.
Belal, 12, benefited from the aid. He is the eldest son of an 11-member family living in Marawara, Dangam district with no breadwinner. 
In another town, Asia, who lives with a day-labour husband and three kids, saw this aid as invaluable, as they could not afford purchasing such necessities. 
QRCS’ ‘Warm Winter campaign’ is well in progress to provide more than QR12,250,000 worth of winterisation aid for more than 200,000 beneficiaries in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Jordan, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan.
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