Updated 21 September 2011
There are many Shia children growing up in Herat in Afghanistan that have been orphaned and they need to be sponsored through the Zainabiya Child Sponsorship Scheme.
Herat is the third largest city in Afghanistan, and it has a Shia community that is extremely poor and faces discrimination because they are Shias. One of the most saddening things about war is the thousands of orphans left behind to fend for themselves because they lost their families in conflicts. Many children grow up having been orphaned and their problems are further compounded by the poverty their community.
Afghanistan is a country that hasn’t seen peace in decades the consequence of that is the country’s education level has deteriorated exponentially. Currently the literacy rate among adults above the age of 15 is 26%, while the literacy rate of women stands at 12%.
The Holy Quran instructs us to show kindness to orphans, “You shall not serve any but Allah and (you shall do) good to (your) parents, and to the near of kin and to the orphans and the needy, and you shall speak to men good words and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate. Then you turned back except a few of you and (now too) you turn aside.” Verse 83, Chapter 2
The Prophet of Islam said, “I and the one who looks after the needs of an orphan and brings him or her up in the best possible manner, will be together in heaven like two fingers of one hand.”
The World Federation through the Zainabiya Child Sponsorship Scheme is sponsoring 85 Shia children in Herat in Afghanistan. Ahmed, Saeed, and Azim are three boys who are currently being sponsored in Herat. They have shared their stories with us so that their Shia brothers can be sponsored.
Ahmed Mohamed Hussein was born on 21/03/1999 in Lalu Sarjangal in Heart, an orphan who had no one to look after him. Now he is being sponsored under the Zainabiya Child Sponsorship Scheme, and lives in an orphanage in Herat. He is currently in the 3rd Grade in Primary School and thanks you for your sponsorship and asks you to sponsor another child in the Shia community.
Saeed Ali, was born on 03/01/2001 in Herat an orphan. A normal boy aged 11 loves to play with his friends, and needs someone to look after him like all 11-year-old boys. The Zainabiya Child Sponsorship Scheme is sponsoring him. Saeed is in the 1st grade in Primary School and he too would like a sponsor one of his friends in the Shia community to join him at school.
Azim Ali is an 11-year-old boy and for the first time in his live he is able to live a normal life, go to school and play with his friends. The Zainabiya Child sponsorship scheme is sponsoring Azim to in the 1st grade. Azim like all the other boys in the program is an orphan and he too would like someone to sponsor his friends to go to school.
There are many more Shia children in Herat that need to be sponsored, lets make sure that we help every Shia child in Herat. Alhamdulilah we are a generous community and sponsoring Shia children is our responsibility. Therefore lets work together to ensure that Shia children in Herat grow up in a living and caring environment with our support.
To sponsor a Shia Child in Herat in Afghanistan please email zcss@world-federation.org or donate online.