Recently members of the team visited the Military Hospital in Camp Bastion and took along some sweets for five young children who had been injured during the detonation of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The vehicle they had been traveling in had struck the IED, killing most of those on board.

One of the little boys, aged about 3 or 4, had lost both his parents in the incident and, having enquired about his future, were informed that because no one from his village had come forward to look after him following the death of his parents, he would most likely be collected by the Red Cross.

We found out that there are loads of young and innocent children who suffer the same fate as a result of the conflict in Afghanistan. A number of these children will end up in the Children’s Orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan. The orphanage struggles to cope with the overwhelming need for the very basics. At this time of the year, the weather here is freezing and there are few or no items that the kids can use to keep warm.

In the month of January 2012, when lots of you will be taking advantage of the sales in the UK, we ask that you take a few minutes out to look through your homes to see if you have any items that you are prepared to donate to the children in the Kabul Orphanage.

They need anything and everything; clothes, coats, shoes, socks, blankets, hats, scarves, gloves, toys, teddies, pretty much any items that you can send. The ages of the kids vary from little ones through to teenagers so feel through to bundle together a selection. All we ask is that you send through items in good condition for the kids.

The great thing is that provided you keep any parcels below 2kg, you can send them through to us absolutely FREE from the UK. All you need to do is to grab together what you can send, put it in something like a shoebox, address it as detailed below and pop it in the post. You can send as many parcels as you like as long as each parcel weighs less than is 2kg.

This is a chance to make a real difference to children that really are the innocent victims in a conflict that most do not understand or comprehend. Their really is nothing worse than hearing a small child crying in a hospital, knowing that all he wants is his Mum or Dad and knowing, that neither are ever going to come and collect him.

Please, please find the time and the inclination to take the few minutes of your time that it will take to organise, to send us a parcel. Get your own kids involved, clear out those old items after Xmas, move on the toys that are no longer wanted or played with to children that will find comfort and pleasure from all that you send.

Thank you for your support –

D J Franks
DJ Franks, WO1 (RSM)

Postal Address:
WO1 (RSM) DJ Franks
The Kabul Children’s Orphanage Appeal
C/O 62 Sect SIB
Op HERRICK 15
MOB Bastion
BFPO 792