The avalanches caused widespread devastation after a sudden snowfall hit Panjshir in February. Schools, mosques, and homes were destroyed, and at least 90 people died. Complicating relief efforts was the closure of a major pass and the province’s central transit corridor, which left residents any outside assistance.
Afghan Wireless helped ease the crisis by sending emergency networking equipment, including mobile base stations, to the area so that the districts and villages in Panjshir could communicate with one another. The Bayat Foundation, meanwhile, has been collecting additional donations for the relief effort via its website, www.bayatfoundation.org.