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Report on the Use of Donations for Pakistan Flood Victims by the SAI and further Action

The recent monsoon weather brought heavy rainfall in the end of July 2010 to various parts of Pakistan, resulting in devastating flash floods in most parts of rivers Kabul, Swat and Indus basin. These were the worst floods in the history of the region. At the beginning of August, after discussing various options for the flood relief activities, the South Asia Institute (SAI), University of Heidelberg, launched the campaign for the donations to help the flood victims of Pakistan. The donations were handled by the non-profit organization Assocation of Friends and Patrons of the SAI. Numerous individuals and organizations – among them Dr. Eckart Würzner, Lord Mayor of the City of Heidelberg and Mr. Mohammad Rafique, President Deutsch-Pakistanische Gesellschaft, Karlsruhe – supported the campaign actively.  

At this time, Professor Sayed Wiqar Ali Shah, Allama Iqbal Professor at South Asia Institute University of Heidelberg was on his way to Pakistan on a private visit. He decided to get himself fully involved in the relief activities and promised to spend the money on the purchase of essential food items and then to distribute it personally. Thus Prof. Shah was entrusted to bring the donations to Pakistan. Upon arrival in Pakistan Prof. Shah collected information through various sources and it was revealed that people in the far flung areas of Pashtoonkhwa were in dire need of food, therefore Prof. Shah selected Malakand Division for this purpose. Hereafter the Provincial Disaster Management authorities and other relevant officials including the Provincial Information Minister were consulted. They were requested to prepare the lists of the affected families in the area which they did accordingly.

On Sunday 5th September 2010 the truck headed early in the morning for Batkhela (Swat). The following five villages, on the downstream of river Swat from Batkhela were selected for the distribution of food: Totakan, Matkani, Hissar Kaley, Qalangey and Ziarat Hissar Baba. At about 11 am the food distribution started and it went till late evening. Some parcels were also distributed among the flood victims of Smaso Sar, another village in Batkhela. The following items of food were included in one parcel: Flour (20 kilos); Sugar (5 kilos); Rice (5 kilos); Daal (lentils) (5 kilos); Ghee (cooking oil) (5 kilos); and Tea (1 kilo). Each parcel was thus weighing 41 kilos and was meant for a family of eight persons. A total of 750 (seven hundred and fifty) parcels were arranged for the flood victims so that an estimated 6000 people benefitted from this package.

After this first successful action the SAI plans further activities: Up to now the northern province of Gilgit-Baltistan has not benefitted from help. The whole area, including Gilgit, the city of approximately 70.000 inhabitants, has been cut off electricity for an entire month while roads (among them the Karakorum Highway) have been blocked for almost two months. Under the coordination of the Nanga Parbat Foundation and Prof. Marcus Nüsser, who has just returned from the region, the SAI wants to support the setting-up of clean water supply in this region. In addition to this immediate help project the SAI engages in a long-term support project. The SAI is in touch with local authorities as to find a suitable location to built up a school. For both projects further donations are necessary and highly welcome. If you want to support this initiative please send your donation to
Vereinigung der Förderer des Südasien-Instituts e.V.
Keyword: Fluthilfe Pakistan
Sparkasse Heidelberg
BLZ 672 500 20
Konto-Nr. 1300695
For a donation receipt please write to manfred.hake@alumni.uni-heidelberg.de or foerderer@sai.uni-heidelberg.de


01 Oct 2010
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