Where to begin? I am still not sure what happened to 2022. Most definitely a year I would rather forget to be honest. So instead time to look forward to the vital animal welfare work the Nowzad charity will be delivering on your behalf in 2023.
Firstly though, an apology; some of you will be receiving this newsletter for the first time, yet you donated for Operation Ark back in August 2021. During the dark and hectic days of 2022 as I was trying to say thank-you to so many people for the amazing support, over 700 addresses were not added to our database.
I have rectified the error and you have all now finally been added. Sorry!
These incredible donations and all the letters of encouragement and supportive emails I received have helped me realise that Operation Ark, even with the unbelievable stress from the fall out and the personal loss experienced, was definitely the right decision. It is a story that deserves to be told. Sadly though, I cannot find any publisher willing to back my book about Operation Ark and what actually happened during the unprecedented events of August 21. So, if it goes ahead I will have to self-publish. I guess we will see…
Thank you to everyone who has reached out. I have read every email and letter even if I have not had time to reply. Thank you.
So after a very turbulent year and a half, our amazing Nowzad staff, volunteers and you – our supporters - are bringing the charity back on track both in Ukraine and Afghanistan – Nowzad 2.0 is here.
Our exciting news is that we have kicked off Nowzad 2.0 by moving to a new office and warehouse in Devon. This will ensure we have the ability to sustain our commitments to both Afghanistan and Ukraine far into the future. We have taken on more staff to improve our response times, for both you, and those in need within the countries we work in. We now have an online Nowzad shop selling T-shirts and gifts and we will be reinstating the Nowzad Christmas catalogue later this year. All the proceeds will be supporting Nowzad’s charitable activities.
Our new address for all donations is;
Nowzad, B3, Mercury Business Park, Bradninch, Devon, EX5 4BL
As I write we are asking for physical donations of dog and cat food and veterinary supplies that we can transport to those animals in desperate need in Ukraine.
Please do reach out to us if you are able to arrange a collection on our behalf from within your local dog club or friends group. Currently we are supplying over 40 tonnes of food every month…. That is a need of 3333 [12kg] bags of dog food.
We have finally uploaded the video from our visit to Irpin, just outside of Kyiv from last year and you can watch it here - the devastation and despair is real. But we can do something to help - your support does count and does make a difference.
Your donations do count.
Back in Afghanistan we have finally gained the permission of the new government to operate our clinic and deliver animal welfare where it is needed. Our new team has had to navigate huge hurdles at times but remain determined to deliver the best service possible against the never ending challenges of providing care to those animals on the streets of Kabul.
Nowzad is a vibe. It’s the result of a steadfast determination to provide animal welfare in places most would consider impossibilities.
Why not check out one of the many new designs coming to the Nowzad online store (they have even allowed me to design a limited edition long sleeve Tee which will only be available for the month of April) and our new 'Vibe' T-shirt and Hoodie is for sale today - click here to purchase yours :)
Nowzad 2.0 exciting times ahead - looking forward to continuing the journey with you!