Yet in places "Hope is Alive" and there are "Bright Spots Amid the Gray" evident in various RECENT experiences 'from the ground' in Pakistan...
Last two photos are from the blog "Unity in Universe" and the recent post "Hope is Alive". Here are excerpts:
For the last month, I was worried about the flood conditions in the whole country but I wondered if I could do anything for the affected people.
Ramzan ul Mubarak has got a special quality that it brings accomplishment of our wishes sometimes even if we don't pray for that. I think that is the reason for which I got an opportunity to do something for the affected people.
...During the very short period of just three to four days, we managed to collect funds, buying stuff and to arrange other necessities for the journey...Everybody worked hard and showed great interest for collecting funds and performing different tasks which were set for the plan.
I was very amazed to see the potential of people whom I started working with; they were all so courageous and passionate for the purpose. Most of them were very young guys and I was pleased to see their eagerness and being a part of such a team. Those who were a bit senior, being very supportive and helping with their experience in every matter made it easy for youngsters to collaborate and manage things in a better way.
On Friday, 20th August, there were eleven people (including medical persons) who were departing for the interior of Sind...We almost spent three days out of Karachi...almost eight hours in traveling when reached Sukkur. Having Iftar and Maghrib prayer at Sukkur, we moved towards Mirpur Mathelo and arrived there at ten in the evening and stayed at FFC guest house. After dinner and Isha prayer, we planned for the next day tasks and went to sleep.
Saturday: We left Mathelo at 5 o'clock in the morning just after Fajr and reached Kandh Kot at about 10 o'clock. There we held our medical camp in a small village at two different places few kilometers away each other (and)distributed some food items ...After Zauhar prayer we moved towards Kashmor and...distributed...on the way. We reached Guddu barrage at the time of Iftar and moved towards Mirpur Mathelo back right after Iftar. It was a hectic day as weather was so hot and humid and everybody was Fasting, so the day was proved to be an examination for our patience and courage...
Sunday: ...we moved towards Sukkur at 8 o'clock and reached there exactly at 11 o'clock in the morning. After having a survey about the camps that were found in Sukkur, we selected a camp and held a medical camp for almost three to four hours continuously...we had purchased a food package from Sukkur in a bulk containing (Water cooler with 1 kg flour, 1 kg rice, 1/2 kg lentil, 1/2 kg oil, packets of salt, dates and tea) and had distributed these in different camps on our way. We had our memorable Iftar that evening with a Khan sahib (Attaullah) who was open-hearted man that despite of our refusal, manged to agree us for Iftar with him. After another long, tiring day, we rested at his home to refresh ourselves and left for Karachi...
...(enjoyed) flavorsome ice cream of Matyari and Sehri at an open air hotel on the way from Hyderabad to Karachi, we reached Karachi at 6 o'clock on Monday morning.
Everybody was fatigued but pleased due to the successful accomplishment of our target - I reached home at 6:45 a.m...I think what I had done, gave me strength (to report at 8:30 am)...otherwise I was not able to manage it.
...for the first time I understood the real meaning of fasting and other obligatory rituals that we perform. The real, courage and inner satisfaction that is superior to every other joy, the feeling of sacrifice of desires and personal aspirations for the sake of others...
...great working experience with some selfless persons, who sacrificed their money, time and potential...we spent three days together just like a family...purpose and beautiful reaso...Allah Taalah helped us throughout the journey
...responsibility is now on the entire Nation, to unite and manage things in a more proper way for the relief of these victims. There are a lot of diseases that are being spread in the flood affected areas and even among the people who have migrated towards camps. The common ones are skin allergies, diarrhea and body pain. Dehydration due to the lack of clean drinking water is also very common in children, so in order to save their lives, the very first priority should be to provide them pure drinking water. It will prevent them from many diseases and the risk factor will also decrease to a great level.
I think what we can only do at the moment is to keep alive the hope. Hope, belief and struggle are the only weapons to survive in the worst conditions.
End Unity in Universe excerpts. See more photos and READ much more by this young Pakistani woman, author, student and deeply-inspiring online friend. GO here
Reuters/Adrees LatifAlso see "Bright Spots Amid the Gray" CHUP Changing UP Pakistan blog here
LIVE from Province of Sindh August 30, 2010 95% residents have already evacuated
The massive floods that have devastated large areas of Pakistan continue to inundate southern parts of the country. In other areas of the country, the water is receding. Millions of people are displaced and officials are scrambling to provide relief aid.
GO here
(AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) This picture shows humanitarian leader Abdul Sattar Edhi as he sits on the side of a road in Peshawar, Pakistan at the beginning of flooding. Edhi is a devout Muslim who majors on helping the poor which he says should be the cornerstone of all faiths. See story link below.Sana Saleem, a Global Voices author from karachi, and a project coordinator for a the non-profit youth organisation called “Future Leaders of Pakistan” (FLP) traveled to Sindh and the Swat Valley. Sana shares her experience at Dawn Blog:
"Our day began with identifying affected areas to begin distribution. Sujawal situated in Thatta district was identified as the base camp for distribution of aid. According to the District Officers, Sujawal hosts over 27,500 internally displaced families. Living in abysmal conditions most of these people were living by the roadside on charpai and temporary tents made out of mere straw. The living conditions deteriorated as we traveled further into Sujawal. Roads had been inundated at various points and families were forced to take shelter in areas where there was no electricity. Snakes, other insects and stray dogs were rampant and the families live under a high risk of being attacked by them."
She notes: "Efforts like these prove that there is still hope for Pakistan. As people continue to fight and help each other in these tough times, one only hopes that the rest of the world will also donate generously to help the millions affected by the floods."
GO here for much more on these volunteer efforts including inspiring VIDEO and Easy ways to CONTRIBUTE TO & SUPPORT these efforts to alleviate the many suffering from the flooding here
Relief Mission #3 to Thatta: More on relief mission set up by famous dentist-blogger-photographer and organizer Dr. Awab Alwi here
Humanitarian leader Abdul Sattar Edhi of The Edhi Foundation: STORY: Aging philanthropist is Pakistan's Mother Teresa Aug 30, 2010 here
AP Photo and article Just In by SHAKIL ADIL - UPDATE: HISTORIC CITY In South Pakistan Saved From Floods ET PM Aug 30, 2010 AP/ Salon.com for this story (and description of the photo) read about thousands of people streaming back into this historic city...here and see Comment #4 below this post about people on the ground needing support...Keep the HOPE Alive - there are COUNTLESS ways!
Interesting to Note that "The Edhi Foundation donated $100, 000 to the Katrina Relief effort."
ReplyDeleteHere is the way to help this highly respected foundation to help Pakistanis terrifically bereft due to the flooding & read more about their longtime work:
http://pakistan.wikia.com/wiki/Edhi_Foundation
Of course, there are many many other worthy groups and ALL legitimate caring groups are needed now - some listed in the blogpost above working with youth.
Opportunities! Found on list of friends working to help out in Pakistan:
ReplyDeleteJoin Us in Our Flood Relief Efforts
Aga Khan University has set up health camps for flood affectees. Over the next two weeks, the University is aiming to spread out rapidly in Sindh, along the Balochistan border, southern Punjab, DI Khan & Gilgit-Baltistan.
If you are a doctor, nurse, midwife or have allied health training, and would like to lend a hand, please join us for the next few months. You will get training, be reimbursed for your efforts
and receive a certificate.
Please send an email marked ‘floodrelief’ with your CV to
staffrecruitment@aku.edu
Government employees are not eligible to apply.
End
I will try to post new items as they come in here in Comments rather than "mar" the beautiful spirit and promise of LONG-RANGE
ReplyDeleteENERGY begun and flourishing among inter-generational Pakistanis themselves.
The following comments may have a MIX of Pakistani and Worldwide efforts:
Pakistan Floods: Clean Water Desperately Needed
By Pierluigi Testa
http://www.countercurrents.org/testa290810.htm
A month after the flooding disaster in Pakistan began, more areas are at risk of a new deluge and the humanitarian crisis continues, with clean water and medical aid desperately needed, as Medecins Sans Frontieres writes for Channel 4 News
Plz add your own suggestions and stories as well!
From an Online Acquaintance:
ReplyDeleteOn Saturday I was here in Makli city (one of the oldest necropolises of world) 6 Km from Thatta city, extreme south of the country near Arabian Sea, nearly 250,000 have been poured in and around Makli city(its own population is 20,000) for last five days from all areas of the Thatta district,90 km from Karachi. Almost 50% of the 1.6 million population of the district has been displaced at the moment. The district is mostly coastal area where Indus river fall into Arabian Sea.
There all 9 sub divisions of the district is inundated by the flood...
Majority of displaced are without shelter ,food, water and medicine... government and other relief bodies are nowhere, hundred of thousand women and children have been crying for immediate help. They are in open space every where in scorching heat, thousands have taken refuge in historic grave yard of Makli including in tombs of nobles .
Sindh Labour Relief Committee(SLRC) have started some immediate relief to the needy but challenge is larger than our capacity, human catastrophe is looming large and every passing hour has been making life unbearable for the displaced hundred of thousands especially for women and children.
SLRC are going to establish relief camp in Makli for 30 families from this week.
...Some amount is in our hand for food purchase for Moro camps which we have already pledged so in this situation we immediately require your intervention to cope the situation in Thatta district, please act now.
Contact SLRC
Nasir Mansoor (+923003587211)
Abira Ashfaq. (+923142003885)
Evidently Edhi and/or Edhi Foundation gave more: "He donated $200,000 to releif [sic] efforts after Hurricane Katrina, and his workers have also helped out in disasters in Asia and the Middle East." AP
ReplyDeletehttp://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jobQzB5hDwq1UuX_jDpODPl7_n0QD9HTIPVO0
Be it phenomenal Abdul Sattar Edhi, courageous Urooj Malik or Sana Saleem, all are contribution towards helping those who are suffering, in actuality they are helping themselves, they are diminishing their own suffering by helping others. Those who are just watching, hearing and reading about the victims are suffering more than the victims if they do not stand up to help them. When we help, or provide help it stirs up as a miraculous healing process that washes away pain, sorrow, sadness, grief and all that is termed as depression.
ReplyDeleteConnie, thank you for supporting my effort. Sir Akhtar, thank you for increasing my courage.
ReplyDeleteYes, It's true that when I am myself working in any possible way I can, it gives me a feeling of satisfaction. However, when I see people around me so busy in their lives and desperately preparing for Eid, I eventually become depressed. Why not we think that this flood could have come to our homes, we do not live in other world, we live in the same place. Why are we so careless from people who were just happy, busy in their lives few days ago and now they are suffering to get shelter, pure water and enough food for their kids and for themselves.
When I asked people for donating funds as, we are again planning to visit a nearby camp to Karachi, they react as they have nothing to do with this Flood, because this Flood has not affected them.
In these circumstances, the only Hope for me is my Faith to God that everything will be fine soon, InshAllah.
Hello Friends,
ReplyDeleteSorry to be away so long. Both of your comments are so profound and well-spoken. My heart bleeds daily for Pakistan and all the hurting people as well as for you my dear friends.
Here is another way people may want to help out?
Please sign petition to cancel Pakistan's debt http://www.avaaz.org/en/pakistan_cancel_the_debt/97.php?cl_tta_sign=0e0112547c3d8ea729e08064c05192d0