A Derry woman who started her own appeal for Afghanistan after seeing harrowing television pictures is looking for other people throughout the north-west to help.
Ms Joan Fathey has already received support from a number of haulage companies in the North and Sainsbury's supermarket. On Saturday, a large transport container will be parked at Guildhall Square in Derry and people are being asked to bring a range of items which will be taken directly to the Afghans.
"Just seeing the human suffering and misery was unbearable. In freezing temperatures, people had very little clothes and it showed women and children going down into a basement because the bombing had started. They were making a stew from bread and water because that was all they had," she said.
Ms Fathey has received the backing of church and political leaders in Derry but has never been involved in organising such an appeal before. An interior designer, her previous voluntary work consisted of organising fashion shows for cancer charities.
After seeing the disturbing TV report, she rang a UN office in Dublin and was eventually put in touch with an English charity, Jacob's Well Appeal.
This charity works with the UN refugee agency and has brought aid directly to refugees in many previous international crises. Trucks will be leaving from Yorkshire to try to get to Afghanistan before the very severe Winter weather prevents aid from getting through.
The UN estimates that some six million people in Afghanistan are at risk from starvation unless they get essential aid.
Sainsburys has already given a large hamper of food and Ms Fathey is hopeful other supermarkets will do the same.
Transport of the aid to Yorkshire has been arranged after a Danish shipping company, DFDS, a Derry firm Doherty Transport, and Tracco Logistics in Belfast agreed to help.
Ms Fathey said she now hoped the appeal could be widened to towns south of the Border in the north-west and she urged anybody interested in helping to contact her.
Only certain items are being sought, and these are tinned fish, rice, pasta, porridge oats, rusks and Weetabix. Supplies such as blankets, tents, sleeping bags and plastic sheets are also needed.
Items will be accepted at the Guildhall from 10 a.m. to 5p.m. on Saturday or at other times at the Methodist Mission, Crawford Square, Derry. Ms Fathey can be contacted on (0044) 777-318 6278.