TEHRAN —Barekat Charity Foundation affiliated to Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam also known as Setad Ejraiye Farmane Hazrate Emam has generated job opportunities for earthquake-stricken people of Kermanshah province.

On November 12, 2017, a destructive earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale hit Sarpol-e Zahab in the western province of Kermanshah. Some 90,000 houses were partly or completely damaged by the tremor. Sadly, the quake took over 660 lives and left more than 10,000 injured.

Mahmoud Askari-Azad, chairman of the board of directors of Barekat Charity Foundation, explained that after the powerful quake of last year the government and other organizations mainly focused on providing the victims of the earthquake with accommodation, food and hygiene products but what was being overlooked was that many lost their job or their breadwinner in the deadly incident, the foundation official website reported. 

“So, in a collective attempt between Barekat Charity Foundation, Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation and the provincial welfare organization we succeeded in recognizing 301 families in various cities and villages across Kermanshah to help them with finding new jobs and earn a living,” Askari-Azad said. 

Out of the 301 families, 126 were headed by male breadwinners and 175 were headed by female breadwinners, he added, applicants preferred jobs such as livestock breeding, carpet-weaving, barbering, etc. 

In order to help the families to stand their own feet once again Barekat Charity Foundation and Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation allocated handouts amounting to 45 billion rials (nearly $1 million), he said, adding that, also low interest loans totaling 26 billion rials (nearly $600,000) were granted to the families as well. 

Some of the money also went to job training courses for the aforesaid families, Askari-Azad highlighted. 

MQ/MG