Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Special Gifts for Children affected by the Floods


Brief Info of the Relief Camp Visit to Charsadda & Pushtun Ghari on 4 Sep,2010

( 'Amai and Sadako' gifts were distributed among Children living in Relief camps opened in schools, for the flood victims)
Teams
Ms. Fauzia Minallah & her young volunteers, Ahsan Khan, Ishaq Ali, Aliyeh Khaleeli, Ahmad Faraz & Babarjan.
PELI Alums: Mr. Khurshid & Mr. Khalid – Charsadda
Mr.Zaki Ullah , ITA PELI Alum
Ms. Rubeen (Guest)
Idara i Taleem o Agehi: Mr. Abu Bakar & Ms. Riffat Ayesha

Venue:Govt High School Tangi # 1 & 2
Facilitators – Mr. Khursheed & Mr. Khalid – PELI Alum
Almost 500 students benefited from Eid gifts comprising of dress, a story book, sketch book, pencil. Coloured pencils, sharpener & a ball. Besides this biscuits & milk was also distributed among young children.

Gammarian School - Pushtun Ghari
Facilitators Mr.Zaki Ullah & Ms. Rubeen – PELI Alum
Almost 400 students benefited with the gifts mentioned above.
Overall we managed to deliver what we came for. We are greatly obliged to Ms. Fauzia Minallah for her unflinching love & support for the unfortunate flood victims (IDPs). More inspiration and beauty was added to these relief sites by the motivated young volunteers brought forth by Ms. Fauzia.
Secondly; special thanks to PELI Alums who had arranged this event and brought smiles on many faces by facilitating the guests & the children of the camps. Their dedication is worth appreciating for smooth running of the learning & healing centers.
by
Riffat Ayesha ITA

Pastun Garhi, Pabbi



























Infront Babarjan, Fauzia Minallah 2nd row Aliyeh Khaleeli, Ishaq Ali, Riffat Ayesha, Ahsan Khan, back row Ahmad Faraz and Abu bakar
Tangi, Charsadda
Govt High School No 1 Tangi.




Govt High Schol No.2 Tangi.






Govt High School No.1. Tangi










Photo credits: Fauzia Minallah and Ishaq Ali
Reflections:

by Aliyeh Khaleeli. Member of a Charitible trust Cakes for A Cause (CAC).

Our country has been ravaged by the proxy war on terror, devastated with the destructive earthquake of ‘05 and the recent displacement of the Idp’s. Just when we thought, the worst was over it turned out to be a lull in the storm. Another tragedy struck our barely recuperating country; the floods of ‘10.

The enormity of the havoc and wreckage of the floods forced my conscience to persistently keep knocking , until I answered. The answer had to be something more than just a monetary donation; more than just phone calls to others convincing them to loosen the purse strings, it had to be a physical undertaking. Where I too had a fleeting glimpse in the world of those affected by the floods, where I too breathed the air they breathed, stood on the cold concrete ,where children would lay their heads and fall fast asleep.
I was given this opportunity through Mam Fauzia Minallah. In liaison with the Idara Talem o Agahi that facilitated our trip and identified the places to visted. To both,Fauzia Minallah and ITA I’m extremely grateful for the experience.

Whatever devastation we had assumed, it was worse. There can be no substitute for the way a toddler looks at you, desperation and desolation etched in the very pupils of his eyes. When you look at a sea of children who look old and so fatigued, it can shatter the very fabric of human stability.

The experience was humbling. When people spoke of the victims ingratitude despite how much was given to them: it shamed me into a self inspection ; a crude reminder of our constant grumbling and ingratitude towards Allah‘s bounties.

I cannot take take credit for that lies with Mam Fauzia, the ITA, and the volunteers, whom I shall remember with their associated tasks. Ehsan ,who checked the sizes of almost each of the 1000 outfits against the children , came to be called the “Darzi” or tailor. Babar jan , who worked hard at volunteering and at being in the pictures, is now known as the “Politician” amongst us. Ishaq , who was our all rounder , did all the laborious work of unloading and carrying up the donations but due to the last hour spent taking pictures for Mam Fauzia , got the undue title of the ‘ lazy photographer’. The journey will stay with all of us for a long time for different reasons, unknown to all of us.

How do I know this? For just as I’m about to sleep , at the edge of unconsciousness two piercing toddlers eyes reverberate through the folds of memories, leaving me wide awake.

By Ishaq Ali. 18

On 04 September 2010, we were a group of students from beaconhouse school system margalla campus visited the flood affected areas, to distribute gifts amongnorganised by Madam Fauzia Minallah . We left for Charssada at 6:20 in the morning . We had taken some food and new clothes for the IDP children. We reached Tangi at 9:00 am and there was a government high school where all the IDPs were living .The moment we entered the school ,we had noticed smiles on the faces of the children . We started disturbuting clothes and gifts them according to their sizes . After that we disturbuted milk and biscuits. We moved to another govenment high school no 2 where twice more IDPs were present than the first school. As we appeard , a crowd of children started making noise with cheerfull faces. we settled them with the help of boy scouts present there .

After distributing all the items to them that we had with us. We had asked some questions regarding their issuses and other sources of support. we come to know that they were not supported by any NGO or government agencies yet .afterward we moved to the government girls high school where a crowd of girls were taking classes . We disturbuted some books and clothes among them . They were reading the book with great concentration and were pleased by our presence. We arranged a skill competition in which we tested their reading abilities . We presented gift to the winners .

Finally we went to Pukhtoongharhi ,there were a huge crowd of children who were already waiting for us . They were so excited by our arrivals and started cheerfull noises . Again we did the same job, disturbuted clothes according to their sizes. We took some pictures of areas which were destroyed by the floods. This was the last location after which we headed home.

It was really a good and remarkable experience of my life which I will never forget . After visiting these areas I really felt what they were feeling. I have learnet many things from this visit which will help me in my life . Above all I was really impressed by the courage and ability to face huge challenges of these children. Spiritually I really feel happy by helping them and Inshallah in future as well I will participate in these sort of activities.

At last Ia m very thankfull to Madam Fauzia for arranging such a humanitarian activity and to Madam Riffat Ayesha and Mr.Abubakar of ITA for making it possible for us to visit this area.

By Ahmed Faraz.
F.G College for Men F.10/4 Islamabad.
September 4th was a very important day of my life because I was a part of a group of volunteers who were going to help displaced persons and specially innocent children. We had to go to three schools in Tangi, Charsadda one school in Pashtungarhi, Pabbi. There were more than 500 children. We gave them new clothes, picture books, biscuits and milk. It was very difficult to control them and distribute the things in that situation. Every child was helpless and needed help from those who knew the importance of humanity. While distributing a four year old girl did not take the milk at first. She thought that if she took the milk then we would not give her a new dress. One four year old boy who was wearing a completely torn shirt needed a new suit. These were very sad moments for me!



Funkor is grateful to Asian Network of Trust for providing us the story book ' Sadako's Prayer", Mahnoor and Mushfih, Maham Ali and her friends, Babarjan, Namrah Mahmood and Sharafuddin Alizada of Beaconhouse Community Services, Maria Bader her friends and family, Isabelle Bouan, Lynda Martin, Waltraud Torrosian, Bernhard Wild and Attaur Rehman Baig for helping us make this Eid a bit special for the flood affected children.

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