Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id j9FG92G01768; Sat, 15 Oct 2005 12:09:02 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 12:09:02 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <1129392374.69d4789cakarim1@student.gsu.edu> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Anisa Karim" <akarim1@student.gsu.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:11173] Re: The Pakistan Earthquake X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" X-Mailer: NetMail ModWeb Module Status: O Content-Length: 8791 Lines: 164 Dear Ujwala! Thank you for sharing this updates from earth quake i am student here in US from Karachi. The day the earth quake happen my family (in pakistan) called me. Infact every one i know here from pakistan called me,showing their concerns. The facts you shared are horrifying and now when I imagin of disaster I cannot think of distructed valley as I still have those beautiful valleys in my memories when last time i visited them. I donot have any idea of what other communities are doing for earthquack victims but we have an organised community all over world run by "Aga Khan Development Network and Rural support" and all our funds for these type of distasters goes to "Focus Pakistan" who play major role in serving victims. I want to share this article with all of you. Aga Khan Expresses Sympathy Announces Support for Relief Assistance Islamabad, Pakistan, October 10, 2005 – His Highness the Aga Khan, Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims and founder of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), today conveyed his deepest sympathy to the Government and people of Pakistan on the great loss of life, serious injury and widespread material destruction resulting from the earthquake that struck several parts of Pakistan. In a letter to His Excellency President General Pervez Musharraf, the Aga Khan assured the Government of support for relief assistance for the earthquake victims affected in areas of the country and announced that the AKDN will make an initial contribution of Rs. 30 million (US$500,000) in support of the relief assistance being provided by the Government. A further matching amount of Rs. 30 million (US$ 500,000) will be donated to the President's Emergency Relief Fund by Habib Bank Limited. In the drive to supplement the relief efforts, the Habib Bank Limited will also provide support to its staff affected by the disaster. FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance, the international emergency relief agency established by the Ismaili Community, along with AKDN agencies, including the Aga Khan Health Services and the Aga Khan University Hospital, have mobilised medical services, food, tents, other relief goods and humanitarian assistance. Personnel for search and rescue operations in the affected areas, have also been mobilised. In addition, AKDN helicopters have been made available for humanitarian efforts and are being facilitated by the Pakistan Army. Editor's Note: The Aga Khan Development Network's (AKDN) activities in Pakistan encompass cultural, economic and social development and include microfinance, agricultural programmes, health, and education, the introduction of clean-water supplies and sanitation facilities, construction of mini hydro-electric plants, the improvement of public open spaces, community-driven village rehabilitation and house renovation. The Network is a group of private, non-denominational development agencies and institutions that seek to empower communities and individuals, often in disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living conditions and opportunities in specific regions of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Active in over 30 countries, the Network's underlying ethic is compassion for the vulnerable in society. Its agencies and institutions work for the common good of all citizens, regardless of origin, gender or religion. For further information, please contact: Mr. Abedeen Hussain Press and Media Coordinator Karachi. Tel: (0345) 222-7733, (021) 225-1450 Fax: (021) 222-7210 E-mail: abedeen@snhi.net Regards Anisa -----Original Message----- From: Ujwala Samant <lalumineuse@yahoo.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 05:18:26 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [NIFL-ESL:11172] The Pakistan Earthquake Dear All, I work for a small charity in London called Learning for Life, which has educational projects in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. The recent earthquake has been a calamity that has destroyed the NWFP and Azad Kashmir regions. The North Western Frontier Provinces (NWFP) in particular is a highly neglected area, with extremely poor infrastructure. For those of you who have students from Pakistan and India, my heartfelt sympathies to them. (There were quite a few in the ESOL centres I worked at in NJ.) I would like to share an email sent late last night, by my colleague, Masood ul Mulk, the CEO of our partner organisation, the Sarhad Rural Support Programme: Dear Ujwala, Its ten at night and I have just returned to Abbotabad after a hectic day in the field. I went to Batal valley two hours journey from Mansehra and visited several villages which have been devastated by the Earth Quake. The site at everyone of these villages was heart wrenching. It was like some giant pincer had got hold of the houses and crushed them. In spectacular sorroundings, lush green valleys dotted with pines and fruit trees and terraced fields, its a horendous site an ugly scar. Any man made structure in the surrounding has been torn apart by the forces of nature as if it was very angry for some act of omission of the human wretches. Each village had lost over thirty souls. Everyone said they were lucky the earth quake did not come at night when everyone would have been inside the homes. Only those who were inside at 9am in the morning were the one who fell victim to it. I dont think anyone had the time to think because it must have been very sudden. One person said within seconds it was dust everywhere. The houses must have rolled on one another reducing the hill slopes to mounds of debris. This did not just happen to the poor even some lovely looking houses made of concrete had gone to pieces. I cannot see how any of the schools we set up would have survived the anger of the earth if they lay in the areas that have been damaged. The people are still dazed. However in villages the communities coped with it and have managed to bury the dead after digging them out. But as they point to each village in the neighbourhood in the distant mountain they count the dead in each village. I think looking at the future what is disturbing is that everyone is living under the cold open sky in pitch darkness at night because the electricity has been switched off because the wires all lie tangled in the debris Tents are still difficult to find and it is going to take days for any to get to these villages. And mind you these are not remote villages these are situated at pretty accessible places. The tents are just inadequate for the event. I shudder to think what is going to happen in winters because even the tents will not be of much help against the blistering cold winds that will blow down from the mountains. On the roads the only sign of relief is the river of compassion that has flown from individuals in pAKistani cities and villages. Endless streams of busses, wagons make their way here and get lost once here because they do not know where to go. (Over head army helicopter fly relief to remote valleys unlikely to be accessible for days.) People stop them on the way and pick up what they want. Endless stream of people stand on the roads waiting for this bounty. Good kind hearted generosity but not necessarily of the kind they need because its old clothes, and some eating items etc that make the bulk of it. I do not mean that it is all like that because there is so much good that is coming here in shape of tents, medicines, doctors, volunteers and food. But all very small for the enormity of the situation. Will write more tomorrow when I visit Balakot and next day when I go to Battagram. Masood If you would like more information, please visit www.bbc.co.uk/news or www.learningforlifeuk.org I have statistics that are simply horrifying, e.g.in Balakot, (216 villages), of 20,900 households (that is how a census/rural analysis is done), 19,000 have been directly impacted. In Batagram, (158 villages) of 11,690 households, 10,790 have been directly impacted. We have a total of 19 schools in the Mansehra region, and are afraid that none are still standing. The quake happened at 8:53 am and children were at school, hence the largest loss is of an entire generation in that region of Pakistan. We have 1000+ children in the villages, plus their families. We also have five schools in the Abbotabad region. Winter is beginning to set in, people are cold and living without shelter, through rain and hail. And children and adults are trapped because access to the region is extremely hard. It has taken three days for helicopters to drop aid. Please remember this area in your prayers. With best wishes, Ujwala __________________________________ Yahoo! Music Unlimited Access over 1 million songs. Try it free. http://music.yahoo.com/unlimited/
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