Because they need us. When Sitara was founded, few people were caring for the countless Afghan refugee children wandering the streets and camps of the frontier region between Afghanistan and Pakistan around the city of Peshawar. Many were born in the overflowing camps, without any kind of medical assistance, some in tents, some in mud houses. Afghan maternal mortality is the highest in the world. Many fathers had been killed by war lords or the Taliban. Before being saved from the streets by Sitara, these orphans went begging or collected garbage to re-sell. RAWA, an organization for Afghan Women's Rights brought the plight of these children to the attention of Carol Mann at Femaid.org, a Paris-based non-profit humanitarian organization and together they started the orphanage. Carol took on the cause and continues to work tirelessly, soliciting funds and visiting the orphanage regularly. The orphanage is named Sitara (which means star) in honor of its first major benefactor, fashion designer Stella McCartney.


What will the money buy?

A place like Sitara does so much with so little, yet is always in need. There is never enough food, clothing, medicine, or money for teacher salaries, school supplies, toiletries, and other necessities. Our goal is simply to send as much as we can, for as long as we can, so that there is always hope for the children of Sitara. Plans also also include creating a skills training program to help the children acquire a way to earn income later in life when they return to Afghanistan. We make our donations through Femaid (rather than a large NGO), so that the funds go directly to the caring aid workers at this orphanage, ensuring that nearly every penny of your support reaches the hands, mouths and hearts of the children.

When you take the war out of a child, you inspire peace. When you feed a child, you enable him to learn. When a child is educated and loved, he can grow to make a better world.

www.Femaid.org