A new photo fundraiser is in the midst of raising money for EMERGENCY, an NGO that supports and funds healthcare initiatives throughout Afghanistan. Created by the social enterprise called ISHKAR, whose mission it is to challenge one-sided narratives of conflict affected countries, the fundraiser is in its third year and offers prints and NFTs from a range of accomplished visual storytellers. We had the privilege of speaking with ISHKAR’s Creative Director, Electra Simon, along with NFT photographer and collector Blockbird, to learn more about the initiative.

I can think of few greater humanitarian organizations than the Emergency hospitals in Afghanistan which have operated continuously throughout the turbulence of the past year. When many fled the country, Emergency doubled down on their commitment to care for Afghans as they have since 1999.

-Steve McCurry, photographer and donator to EMERGENCY

PhotoVerso: To start, can you offer an introduction to what EMERGENCY Afghanistan is and how it operates?

Electra Simon: EMERGENCY is a humanitarian NGO who provide free, sustainable, high-quality healthcare across Afghanistan, alongside building hospitals and training local people to become medical staff. EMERGENCY’s three medical centres, and network of over 40 first aid posts & primary healthcare facilities across the country have treated over 8 million people and continue to be a critical part of Afghanistan’s healthcare system today.

PhotoVerso: You’re holding a print and NFT photo fundraiser to support EMERGENCY’s efforts. Let’s get into the details. What’s the timeframe for this fundraiser, and how many artists have donated pieces for it?

Electra Simon: The print sale runs online until the end of August. One year on from the fall of the country to the Taliban. 19 Award-winning photographers, including Steve McCurry, Rena Effendi and Andrew Quilty have donated prints from their archive at special, one-off prices during the six week sale.

Three photographers have donated NFT photographs to the initiative including - Michael Christopher Brown, Matthieu Paley’s genesis photograph, and a piece from Blockbird. All profits from the print sale will go to EMERGENCY's work in Afghanistan.

PhotoVerso: You’ve also been working with prominent NFT photographer and collector Blockbird on this initiative. Can Blockbird jump in to talk a bit about how you guys met, and what his role in the fundraiser is?

Blockbird: My journey with Ishkar has been a real joy. I followed them early on and joined them on their first trip to Afghanistan in 2019, with photojournalist Andrew Quilty. Because it was the first trip, the founders of Ishkar, Ed and Flore, were also on the trip so I got to know them and Electra well, and we had an incredible time. 

I’ve bought prints at ISHKAR’s fundraiser events in prior years and then last year I actually did an NFT fundraiser myself using images from that trip in 2019, which I was amazed to see sell out, raising roughly $30k USD for EMERGENCY.

This year I did another trip with Ishkar to the Congo, with photographer Michael Christopher Brown, who’s become a great friend. I was able to meet up with Ed and Flore and Electra in London, and now able to help out with bringing the NFT concept into Ishkar’s world too, which is very exciting to be a part of.

PhotoVerso: Is there a specific funding goal you’re looking to meet?

Electra Simon: ISHKAR has run the print sale for three years running and previously have raised over $100,000 for EMERGENCY Afghanistan. This year we want to match that amount because the need is more crucial than ever as Afghanistan plunges into a ‘forgotten crisis’ with several causes: over 40 years of war, economic ruin and collapse of banking system, the worst drought in 30 years, the aftermath of the pandemic plus the recent earthquake and it’s hundreds of victims.

PhotoVerso: Can you talk a bit about how the funding will be used? 

Electra Simon: All funds raised from the print sale will go towards helping Afghan people get the free, high-quality, sustainable healthcare they desperately need right now. 

Perhaps the best way to put into perspective where the money will go is to hear individual stories of people they help. For example: 7-year-old Musawer who lost his leg to an explosion in a rural part of Afghanistan, but could still receive the free, high-quality care he needed thanks to EMERGENCY’s network of facilities in remote areas of the country; or Shekiba who has worked for EMERGENCY at their Kabul Surgical Centre for 13 years, first as an ICU nurse before training to be an ICU doctor, and who has now recently started training in anaesthesiology. 

Musawer’s and Shekiba’s stories embody EMERGENCY’s long-term, sustainable approach to providing healthcare, focused on building health facilities em bedded across the country’s healthcare system and training local people to be medics. 

It is this long term approach that has allowed EMERGENCY to stay open and treat people throughout the difficult circumstances following the Taliban’s takeover last year and continue to be able to treat those in need. Whether it be ensuring female staff can continue to work, staying open when other organisations had to close last year, or reacting to the recent earthquake and providing support to its victims, EMERGENCY are so well respected across the country and are so committed to helping Afghan people. 

This is what funds raised from the Print Sale will go towards – helping Afghan people get the free, high-quality, sustainable healthcare they desperately need right now.

PhotoVerso: From all I’ve read here this seems like a really incredible fundraiser. Any final thoughts to those thinking of collecting work to support EMERGENCY’s mission in Afghanistan?

Electra Simon: I think it’s important to highlight the fact that, aside from the positive impact you can have when purchasing a print, this is a really unique opportunity to get yourself or others photography by award-winning photographers - with a certificate of authenticity - at exclusive prices. 

PhotoVerso: Thanks for your time, Electra!

We encourage all our readers to visit the fundraiser offerings here.

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Produced in collaboration with ISHKAR