Pakistan Flood: PAKISTANI STUDENT WORRIES ABOUT LASTING IMPACT OF DISASTER
by Najeeb Ullah (The Clarion Staff Writer)
Floods have submerged one fifth of the country. The flooded area is around the size of the state of Florida. The United Nations reports that the damage done in Pakistan is much worse than that of the Haitian earthquake and Hurricane Katrina combined. Around 2,000 people have lost their lives and the number is increasing with each passing day.
More than 20 million people have been affected by the flooding. According to UNICEF, over 3 million children are at risk of catching water borne disease. Many children have no shelter to live in, no food to eat, and no clothes to wear.
Food shortage is going to be the prime issue for the coming years. Pakistan has an agricultural based economy, and the flood has destroyed all of the crops. Due to this, Pakistan is expecting to face a difficult economic situation. The effects of these floods have devastated the already crippled economy. Pakistani trade and transport in some parts of the country is null and void.
The United Nations has appealed to the international community for donating to rebuild Pakistan. Many countries, including India, China, U.S., UK, UAE, Germany, France, and Saudi Arabia, have started to donate to repair the damages done. Still, that has not been enough to compensate for the large-scale flood damage in Pakistan.
I still worry about the situation in my home country, but I think that it is good that I am here. Being in the U.S., I have a better chance of helping people back home.
Recently, Pakistani students from Madison College and the University of Wisconsin worked in collaboration with Student Life to start an awareness and fund raising campaign. The Madison College students and staff are expected to take an active role in the campaign.
With a mere $5, you can feed one family for one day. Even a dollar from your pocket money can be a great help to the flood victims in this time of crisis.
How to help?
1. For more information, and to donate, visit: http://pakistan.rso.wisc.edu or http://www.akdn.org/focus
2. Text FLOOD to 27722 from your cell phone to donate $10.
Very moving and compelling reporting. I hope it elicits the generous response it deserves.
How can i contact the writer? I’m also from Gilgit living in Chicago which is not far from Madison. so would like to meet with fellow brother.
Thanks
“CUSTOMS HEALTH CARE SOCIETY”
Me and my team is grateful to Al-mighty Allah who helped us in providing shelter to the shelter less flood affectees with the help of friends / donors / well wishers / philanthropists in Pakistan and Abroad. The project was started immediately after Eid-ul Fitr and we promised to provide shelter before Eid-ul-Azha. You will be glad to know that 200 houses under this project are near completion and most of the flood affectees under “Apna Ghar Project” will celebrate this EID in their newly built houses.
Visit:
http://asifjahfloodrelief.wordpress.com/
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1093760190
http://www.welfareclinic.com.pk/