Flood Relief Efforts of Civil Society Islamabad

Photo by Amjad Shahaab of Global Peace Council Swat

It is the most devastating monsoon season in Pakistan. We are experiencing some of the worst flooding Pakistan has seen in over 80 years. Entire villages have been swept away, causing death and destruction. With even more heavy rains predicted in the coming days, here are a handful of recent photographs of how we are coping with this latest disaster. We were there for the children in 'Crisis' during the devastating earthquake in 2005, the internally displaced from Swat and Buner in 2009 and now we will help as much as we can during this recent calamity. Although it is very different this time, there are large areas still inaccessable as the roads and bridges have been destroyed and swept away.

For our friends who helped Civil Society Islamabad in helping the flood victims, we would like to share the photographs of the distribution of flood relief and update all on how we have used the money so far.

Our donors are : Maham Ali, Amna Paracha, Tahira Abdullah's friends and family, Attaullah Shah, Gina Aziz, Marium Burki, Zahid Saeed, Fakhar Zia, Mrs.Nisar Haq,Nabeela Ahmad, Sara Mahmood, Nargis Ahmad, Mohsin and Madiha Qazi, Nuzhat Ahmad, Zarina Jamal, Mrs Umar Afridi and friends, Humaira Masihuddin and her friends and family ( Kulsum Khan, Fatimah,Tahira
Syed, Mr. S.M.Qureshi, Saifullah Quadri, Mujtaba Quadri, Uzma Jamal )Ali Faateh, Asad and Amna Shah, Through-Maham Ali, Fauzia Asad Haider, Shahida Shah, Zimmedar Shehri ( Islamabad) Nahid Pervez, Imran Agha, Jamila Shabnum, Ayesha, Shirin Ansari,, Mrs. Niazi and Mona Niazi, Zeba Mateen, Sofia and Ali Khan, Tahir and Tabu, Zara Ali.Mrs Salim ( Mother fo Farrukh Salim), Ali Bilgrami , Mona and Akbar , Jean Elise Lewthwaite, Teachers of Murree Convent.
While previously we were personally delivering the relief goods this time , considering the whole communication network ( roads/ bridges etc) is destroyed, we have decided to help our trusted friends in the affected areas. We have concentrated on the mountainous areas of Bahrain and Kalam cut off by the destruction of bridges. Ghazala Minallah contacted Ghazala Butt the Child Protection officer of Aurat Foundation in Bahrain after great difficulty. We also contacted Ziauddin Yousafzai in Mingora to contact her and also to distribute our relief goods through his organisation Global Peace Council, in Swat . Sofar we have sent money to:
Zubair Torwali of IBT-Idara Baraye Taleem-o-Taraqi or Center for Education and Development in Bahrain Swat Rs 200,000
Ziauddin Yousafzai of Global Peace Council Mingora. Rs 135, 500
Falaknaz Asfandyar Rs.160,000
Falaknaz was based in Mingora at that time and she personally distributed 50 food packs, for 50 families from a remote village in Marghazar valley which is cut off by the landslides, who were taking refuge in a Govt school. She chose Canteen General store as a distribution point where the distribution was done systematically through ID card numbers. She also distributed 20 family packs in a village called Faizabad, and helped Future Leaders of Pakistan in distribution of food packs in a village called Bangladesh.

Ghazala Minallah sent 100 family packs to Mingora. Young volunteers like Samad Khurram and Hamza accompanied the truck. They were stuck for one day in Mingora due to landslides and traffic jams. We have no photograhs to share of the activities of Ghazala Butt, Zubair Torwali and Ziauddin as there is no electricity no internet connection. We hope and wish they are safe!

This time it is different, it is more difficult!! But those who are not helping out in this calamity, Please wake up! Flood victims are crying for help. Forward this message and create a network. Every bit counts. We must unite like the drops in the raging rivers.

For those who would like to donate directly to us ( Ghazala Minallah, Fauzia Minallah, Falaknaz Asfandyar of CSI), our bank account details are as follows:
Account name: FUNKOR CHILD ART CENTRE
Account number. 144501010007007
SWIFT code MUCBPKKAA ( For some countries use MUCBPKKA with a single A )
Beneficiary Bank, MUSLIM COMMERCIAL BANK
Bank address, F 8, MARKAZ Branch , ISLAMABAD
For ONLINE transfer, you can go to any nearest branch of Muslim Commercial Bank which is ON LINE or Symbol Branch and can transfer money on account No. 144501010007007 Favouring FUNKOR CHILD ART CENTRE. If any problem you can contact Nosheen Malik 03454441173 or email us at funkor.childart@gmail.com

Those who would like to donate directly to Global Peace Council Pakistan Swat.
Account no: 61010100996-6
Askari Bank
Mingora Swat

For the affected districts of Sindh, the best organisation to support is led by Justice (Retd)Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, and an NGO named Aitemaad Pakistan Trust .
For further information please email direct at aitemaad@gmail.com or contact one of the following:
Nazim Haji (0321 822 0999) / Naeem Sadiq 0333 351 8539 / Zahid Ebrahim 0333 215 5840

Scenes from Mingora, Swat




Photos by Amjad Shahaab of Global Peace Council Swat

Relief Goods Delivery to Mingora photos taken by Samad Khurram.







Photos by Samad Khurram

Distribution of relief goods by Falaknaz Asfandyar in Mingora.





Photos by Falaknaz Asfandyar