Gilgit: PRCS and KIU sign agreement to promote volunteerism

Gilgit ( PR): The Pakistan Red Crescent Society Gilgit-Baltistan Provincial Branch (PRCS)  on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Karakoram International University Gilgit fallowing the directives of the President of Pakistan Mumnoon Hussain to promote volunteerism throughout the country to deal with disasters and emergencies in an effective and efficient manner.

The MoU was signed by PRCS GB Provincial Secretary Noor-ul-Ain and KIU volunteers convener Professor Manzoor Ali in a ceremony held at Karakoram International University on the occasion of “World Volunteer Day” and World First Aid Day.

Speaking to the ceremony PRCS GB Provincial Secretary Noor-ul-Ain said that the Pakistan Red Crescent Society has decided to raise the number of volunteers up to five million by 2016 to provide a channel for those who want to make a difference in someone’s life. She said perusing this objective the PRCS GB branch has to set a target to register more than one hundred thousand volunteers at regional so that they could be able to deal with disasters and emergencies and save human sufferings from these disasters. She further said that the PRCS has signed MoUs with the leading educational institutions at national level which are included the Punjab University, Allama Iqbal Open University, Roots School System and others while signing MoU with KIU is also a step of this series. PRCS Secretary assured that the PRCS will provide capacity building opportunities to KIU volunteers and students in different capacities including Emergency Response, First Aid, Disaster Management and Humanitarian Values.

KIU volunteer’s convener Professor Manzoor Ali said that Gilgit-Baltistan is vulnerable to various natural and man-made disasters and the people are lacking capacities to deal with these disasters to overcome loses of human lives and infrastructure. Hence for the KIU has established a volunteering department and registered more than three hundred students as volunteer  now it needs PRCS support to provide training on First Aid, Emergency Response and other fields. He hoped that the Pakistan Red Crescent Society Gilgit-Baltistan Provincial Branch will extend its all possible support under the signed MoU between the both parties.