A Derry woman who started her own appeal for Afghanistan and managed to fill a transport container with essential supplies has inspired others to do the same.
Following a report on Joan Fathey's Derry appeal in this column some weeks ago, a group has now formed in Dublin and it is hoped a second consignment will be sent to Afghanistan in mid-January.
Ms Anne Kennedy, who is coordinating the Dublin collection, said the group urgently needed a collection point in the city centre for the public to drop in donations. All that is needed is a dry, secure, storage area, available for a number of weeks. She said they were also seeking donations from companies, shops and individuals. The UN has advised them to collect only blankets, tents, sleeping bags and plastic sheets.
Ms Fathey, who decided to start her appeal after seeing TV pictures of Afghans facing starvation in freezing conditions, said yesterday the consignment she collected in Derry had been sent to Afghanistan earlier this week.
A Danish shipping company, DFDS, agreed to transport the load to the Yorkshire base of an English charity, the Jacob's Well Appeal.
Included in the consignment were 7,000 new wool jumpers donated by the UN office in Dublin. Ms Fathey said she had received calls from around the country from people who wanted to organise similar collections. "I know from all the calls I received that people are willing to help in very practical ways," she said.
DFDS has agreed to continue to provide free transport and the aim is now to fill a container in Dublin in January.
Ms Fathey is in contact with people from the Jacob's Well Appeal who are working in Afghanistan.
While medical aid is now getting through, there is still an urgent need for supplies. A news report last week showed the burial of babies who had frozen to death, she said.
Anybody who would like to help the Dublin appeal can contact Ann Kennedy at 01-8378958, and Joan Fathey can be contacted on (0044) 777-3186278.