Afghan Cricket Association was one of the first organisation to organise a fundraise and simultaneously deliver aid projects on the ground. has been at the front line to reach out to the poor during the COVID19 pandemic and during the collapse of Kabul. People were forced to flee their homes for safety as a result of the rapid rise in violence before the fall of Kabul in August 2021. ACA in collaboration with Rashid Khan Foundation and launched a fundraiser to reach out to those displaced internally by providing food parcels and other basic necessities. We were able to raise a whooping amount of approximately £18,000.

ACA with the help of Afghan Cricket Foundation (ACF) as a partner in Afghanistan helped hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) move back to their home provinces from the Capital Kabul. We were able to send IDPs to the northern provinces including Baghlan, Kunduz, Mazar, Takhar, Ghor and Badghis. 

ACA’s volunteers travelled across the country from August 2021 – Feb 2022 to find the neediest people and help them as per their needs. ACA distributed a month worth of supplies to hundreds of families in different parts of the country, we had distribution centres in the following provinces:

• Kabul
• Helmand
• Kunar
• Kunduz
• Pakita
• Kandahar
• Khost
• Nangarhar

ACA’s Month worth of food parcels included:

• Flour 50kg
• Rice 21 kg
• Cooking oil 5-10L
• Green/Black tea 1kg
• Beans 4 kg
• Sugar 4kg
• Salt 10 packets
• 500-1000 Afghani in cash to use for their need as the see appropriate (due to the frequent change of prices in the market)

We were also able to support some families financially with proven need and financial difficulties to help meet their medical needs.

When World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the COVID-19 virus outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30th of January, almost every country went into lockdown. Schools and offices were closed. Events were postponed. Entertainment industry was shutdown. In the midst of this pandemic, countries around the globe rushed to reroute their national effort and resources towards building and strengthening their healthcare infrastructure.

Unfortunately, some countries were fighting a more nerve-wracking threat than a highly contagious virus – poverty. Afghanistan has been suffering from a 4-decade long war. It has obliterated not just the prospect of peace but also its public welfare system, leaving millions of people desperately trying to survive. Thus, our committee at Afghan Cricket Foundation (ACF) decided to utilise our resources and initiate our COVID-19 Relief Campaign to assuage their suffering through providing food parcels and essential hygiene products.

Covid-19 Relief Campaign
We partnered with Afghan Cricket Association (ACA) and swiftly designed a simple but effective online fundraising campaign as a joint effort to support and alleviate the suffering of the less fortunate. The aim was to distribute food parcels (see image 1) across two different cities in Afghanistan, Kabul and Kunduz. Each package was formulated to ensure it sufficed for a whole family for an entire month.

After launching this altruistic campaign, we were moved by the generosity and support we received. Our initial modest donation target was met within a few hours. So, we decided to increase our target to £5,000 in order to help more families. We partnered with trustworthy and transparent organisations in Afghanistan to create high quality food parcels for the cheapest price possible. Thanks to our hardworking team in Afghanistan, our final packages had more items, and were cheaper than we advertised therefore allowing us to reach more families.

After two weeks there was still palpable demand for keeping the fundraising page active, and we did. As a result, we managed to raise a grand total of £6208, and provided 124 food parcels across not two but three cities. This was a phenomenal achievement considering this was our first ever charitable campaign. We would like to thank every individual across the globe for donating and promoting our campaign. It wouldn’t have been possible without their effort and generosity.

If you would like to see the impact of this campaign, and the difference it has made then please head over to our social media pages:
Twitter: @ACF_World
Instagram: ACF_World

Special Thanks from our CEO
I would like to extend special thanks to each ACA team member for their contribution towards this project under the wing of the foundation. Other volunteers, you know who you are, both officially and unofficially helping to spread the word. They worked hard during this lockdown to deliver massive help in a part of the world that arguably needed it the most. Thanks to all donors who donated every amount small or big; supporters went beyond and shared the campaign with friends and families; also, appreciation of Mr Malik Mangal owner of Mangal Money Transfer for showing massive support in this campaign from being one of the largest contributors to providing other support.

Afghan Cricket Association is excited to announce it’s first indoor soft-ball tournament ” ACA Indoor tournament” is scheduled to take place on Saturday the 15th of February 2020 from 1pm to 6pm.

It will be two round competition between 4 teams and each team will consist of 6 players (one sub player allowed). In the 1st round each team will play three games (round robin) and top two teams will go to the 2nd round (final) to battle for the trophy.

*Awards*?–
?Winner and Runners up the trophy
?Man of the match (final)
?Best bowler
?Best batsman

MIDDLESEX CRICKET AND AFGHAN CRICKET FOUNDATION LAUNCH EXCITING PARTNERSHIP TO ENGAGE AFGHAN COMMUNITIES IN 2019
Middlesex Cricket is today delighted to announce the launch of an exciting new partnership between the club and the Afghan Cricket Foundation (ACF) which will see the two organisations working hand in hand on several projects over the coming year to engage the Afghan community within and around London.

In the year when eighteen-year -old Afghan cricketing superstar Mujeeb ur Rahman will represent Middlesex in the Vitality Blast, what better time to join forces to try and engage UK resident cricket loving Afghans with one of the countries most respected county sides at the games most historic ground, Lord’s.

With over 100,000 Afghans currently living in the capital, the ACF and Middlesex will be running several engagement projects to bring the Afghan community together at Lord’s this summer, including launching a special membership promotion available exclusively through the ACF website.

Anyone purchasing the special membership offer through the ACF will also be invited to attend a unique event held at Lord’s later this summer, when they’ll get to meet Mujeeb in person, whilst enjoying hospitality at the finest venue in cricket.

Middlesex Cricket will also be playing a major part in helping to improve the standard of Afghan cricket within the capital – making their Finchley Indoor School facility regularly available to the ACF and providing professional coaching to improve players’ skills.

To crown the year, Middlesex Cricket will also be providing a representative side to take on the ACF  team after their annual cricket competition – with dates and venue still to be confirmed.

Speaking of the innovative new partnership, Middlesex Cricket’s Chief Operating Officer Rob Lynch, commented:

“We are delighted to have formed this partnership with the ACF and are really looking forward to working with them and to welcoming the Afghan community to Lord’s over the summer months ahead.

“With such a vibrant cricket loving Afghan population living in London, this partnership makes huge sense on so many levels, and with Mujeeb on board this year with Middlesex, we’re hoping to achieve great things in the Vitality Blast.

“It promises to be an exciting summer for Afghans in the capital.”

Bashir Gharwal, Chairman of the ACF commented:

“Founded not long ago, on 1st June 2016, we are proud of where ACF has reached. From only 6 teams in the first year, we now have 15 teams in different cities across the UK participating in our annual events.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Middlesex Cricket and we would like to thank the club for signing the Afghan mystery spinner Mujeeb – this will further strengthen the cricketing relationship between the two great nations which is one of our prime aims. It is also an excellent opportunity for our players and members to get professional training and showcase their talent on bigger stages.”

About the ACF

Afghan Cricket Foundation serves as the talent-hunt hub for UK based Afghans and acts as the centre of gravity for Afghan teams and clubs in the UK. They have previously collaborated with MCC during Afghanistan National Team’s first ever appearance at Lord’s, and Wormsley CC during the Afghanistan XI exhibition match against the Sir Paul Getty XI.