Following the deadly earthquake of 08 October 2005 that claimed thousands of lives, a group of friends led by Ch Mohammed Akhtar travelled to the region of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on the 14th of October 2005 with over £100,000 worth of aid after witnessing events unfold in the media.
After distributing aid to the major devastated cities; Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Rawalakot and Mansehra, it was then realised by Ch Mohammed Akhtar that there was a greater need for the longer term support of the children orphaned by the Earthquake. The name given to this noble cause was Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust (KORT).
In December 2005, a building was secured to cater for the needs of up to 100 orphan children. Later that month KORT welcomed the first group of children to begin their new lives.
The children arrived traumatized and in shock as a result of the earthquake and inevitably took a little while to settle down in their new environment. Many children came from remote mountain villages and therefore were below the national education standard for their age. This is when we aimed for emphasis on education to make sure we give them the best possible chance at life and to have a positive impact for their communities and the country as a whole.
