“A person is either your brother in faith or your equal in humanity” ~ Imam Ali
The testing times for you could be near
Give, so you shall not have to bear
The troubled ones are not so far
Desperate for help with many a scar
Imagine yourself. You are seven, clueless and baffled, swaying in deep waters. You grope for a tiny bit of something to prevent yourself from drowning, with a myriad of racing thoughts of your dead siblings and parents buried somewhere underneath the rubble of the place you once called home. As far as the eye can see, you find people as desperate as you, perhaps even more, struggling to find a way out. A woman, not so far from you, is holding onto her infant and what little belongings she has left. Then you hear something, instantly making your blood run cold, triggering your brain to make a vivid image of the moment before your mud house collapsed. You hope it’s not that. Before you move an inch or breathe out, a gigantic water torrent carrying debris from the areas it has previously swept, drowns you and those around you. Even the infant.
In Pakistan, the late summer of 2022 saw record-breaking heavy monsoon rains coupled with flash floods from the mountains. Numerous seven-year-olds open their eyes in rescue camps and to people dragging them out of deadly waters. The damage has resulted in but is not limited to 1600 fatalities, 13000 injured people, 750000 perished livestock and 2 million damaged homes in Sindh, Baluchistan and South Punjab.
The Al-Khidmat teams have worked tirelessly to carry out various operations to gradually reverse the severe damage caused by these floods and provide emergency aid to the affected. 40 relief boats and vehicles were used to evacuate stranded people who are now temporarily residing in 23 tent cities set up across these regions consisting of more than 52000 tents and tarpaulins.
This was done with the help of over 55, 000 volunteers, from all walks of life, who came forward to serve the noble cause immediately. With donations from within and outside the country, 745 food trucks carrying around 121,000 food packages reached the victims. Additionally, they are also served cooked food, twice a day till date.
Al-khidmat is ensuring that the people residing in the flood-affected areas are prevented from contracting any post-flood-borne diseases. Therefore, around 52,000 hygiene kits have been distributed and 62.000 mosquito nets have been set up to counter these circumstances. Over 1.2 million people are being supplied with clean water daily.
With 659 medical camps, over 246 000 patients have successfully been treated and mobile health units are being effectively utilised to treat more.
Rescued children are being taught at the 17 tent schools, set up in the safe zones to ensure that they are always learning and are being groomed.
While all of the above-mentioned relief activities have made an enormous difference, it doesn’t end here because there is still a lot to be done. From a constant supply of cooked food, clean drinking water to reconstructing the homes of the unfortunate victims, AKF requires your assistance.
Both monetary aid and in-kind gifts will be appreciated.
Don’t delay. Give today!