Whenever we think of winter, we feel an urge to get curled up in a warm blanket with a hot beverage in hand. But imagine being on a cold pavement without any warm clothes let alone a blanket or a hot beverage on a cold winter night. That is the life led by the five million homeless people in Bangladesh, most of them living in Dhaka. They don't have anything more than some plastic bags or sacks to keep them away from the cold winter wind
The majority of these homeless people lost their lands in river erosion or were living in extreme poverty. So they come to the capital in search of shelter and a job. However, the population of Dhaka is now far beyond its capacity to provide them with housing. They sometimes build makeshift houses with plastic bags if they find a place otherwise they have to live under the open sky. Many live in bus stations or railway stations.
They can somehow live like this in the summer. But in winter, not having a roof over their heads poses serious health issues, especially for kids and old people. Many of them suffer from severe cold and respiratory diseases due to the cold. Many people die due to their financial inability to treat these complications. Such a dire situation calls for immediate help.
It's not possible to help all the homeless people but Shapla Foundation intends to help as many people as we can. Our aim is to provide around 300 people with heavy durable blankets this winter. However, this is not a one-man job. We need your help. Similar to the proverb drops of water make an ocean, even your smallest contribution can increase the number of blankets we can distribute. So, sponsor a blanket for a homeless person that sleeps in the streets for $10. Our deadline for fundraising is set for January 31st. Donate as much as you can because it's not just a winter blanket drive, it's a drive for humanity.
We have completed the blanket drive and provided around 170 heavy blankets to needy people.