KashmirFOA supports grassroots, community based projects for the people of the Kashmir Valley.
KashmirFOA mission is to advocate conservation of Kashmiri cultural heritage and its natural environment. Our goal is to help under served areas in Kashmir for improving the quality of public services and to provide economic development opportunity through programs focusing on education. empowerment and entrepreneurship.
In 1995 a group of Kashmiri Americans in Los Angeles established, KER (Kashmir Earthquake Relief) to organize relief for the victims of the 1995 Earthquake. Following the relief phase, KashmirFOA is a new division continuing its effort to help the people of Kashmir unlock their self-help potential.
During the 2005 earthquake that befell the region, the foundation partnered with several major US corporations to coordinate the relief effort. KER, with the support of hundreds of donors, The North Face, Global Giving, Nestle, and the UPS Foundation, successfully lead an international effort to provide emergency shelter and relief assistance to thousands of quake victims.
KER mounted a four month-long high-impact Relief Expedition which was supported by an international airlift of tons of relief supplies and winter gear to Srinagar, Kashmir. KER expedition members and local Kashmiri volunteers worked hand in hand to provide shelter support and other relief assistance to more than 2,000 families who had lost everything in the quake.
Kashmir FOA is dedicated to improve delivery of public education (in government run schools) in Kashmir. An After School Mentoring Program for three government run schools has been ongoing in Srinagar since 2010. The goal of the program is to mentor students outside the school hours and to repair the broken relationship between the teachers, parents and the students in the government run schools. The program provides help with home work, coaching on citizenship skills and building positive relationships between parents and school administration.
In response to the 2014 flood disaster, KashmirFOA is also dedicating its attention and resources to help flood victims. The focus of the relief program is centered on three goals: to provide safe drinking water, winter clothing and a prototype sample dwelling model that could be used for rebuilding housing.
Water filters that convert dirty water to safe drinking water were purchased for free distribution to venerable populations in the flood effected areas.
The winter wear program goal was to provide warm clothing for the needy families and also to help merchants in the flood effected area to earn business. To do this we purchased slightly (water) stained wool fabric from local merchants. Our local partner NGO (HELP Foundation) used the material to make traditional Kashmiri winter outerwear (pheran) garments. Two hundred pherans were made and distributed. In addition a collection drive was organized in the United states to collect warm clothing, blankets and sleeping bags. With the support of community volunteers, we collected and packed 3,500 lbs in 112 boxes of relief materials. The cargo was freighted to Srinagar by the United Parcel Service free of cost.
Project Model Home is to develop a prototype for a house design that is affordable and that can be built in phases. The prototype home is designed to suit the Kashmiri lifestyle, as well as the climate and seismic conditions in Kashmir. Working with experts, KashmirFOA has prepared design proposals for a house design that would start as a one room shelter and provides for phase expansion of the shelter into a larger house.
Kashmir Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization, supported entirely by private donations. ID 95-4303269. For more information please visit www.kashmirfoundation.us.