Afridi to Tour US with Islamic Relief

Buena Park, CA: California-based international aid  agency, Islamic Relief, will host a series of benefit dinners in six cities  across the United States this February to raise funds for development projects in Pakistan. Over 4,000 people nationwide are expected to attend the  events.The keynote speaker at the events will be Shahid Afridi, world-renowned cricket player and member of the Pakistan national cricket team, who will speak on his experience working with Islamic Relief in Pakistan. Afridi joined Islamic Relief to visit Balochistan, Pakistan in July of 2007, one month after a devastating cyclone struck Baluchistan and caused severe flooding that left over 250,000 people displaced. During his stay in Balochistan, Afridi assisted aid workers in distributing over $100,000 worth of essential food and non-food items. "We were moved by the touching scenes that we witnessed out there," Afridi said on his return. "I believe it is our responsibility to come to the rescue of those people who have lost their dear ones, their homes and their livelihoods."

Islamic Relief has been working in Pakistan since 1992, and has established many emergency and long-term development projects throughout the country. These projects include social mobilization, reconstruction of homes, water and sanitation, health, disaster preparedness, sustainable livelihoods, education, orphan sponsorships and food distributions. In 2005, Islamic Relief was one of the first aid agencies to respond to the earthquake that devastated areas of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Two years later, Islamic Relief is one of the few organizations continuing to provide support to earthquake survivors. To date, Islamic Relief has raised over $70 million in aid for earthquake victims, $20 million of that aid came from donors within the United States. Combined, Islamic Relief's projects have benefited nearly two million people across Pakistan. The fundraising tour will begin in Dallas, TX on February 15 and then  move to Meadowlands, NJ on February 16; Chicago, IL on February 17; San Diego, CA on February 22; San Jose, CA on February 23; and end in Anaheim, CA on February 24.

National sponsor for the tour will be Amana Mutual Funds.