>From: farjad nabi > >dear everyone, > >as the scale of the disaster in the north of pakistan is sinking in, >there is a massive outpouring of support from all over the world. we in >Lahore got jolted pretty badly and since then there have been >aftershocks everyday. > >my phone is constantly ringing and i'm getting an email and SMS an >hour, as it seems the whole city is raising funds for the earthquake >victims. >people are frantically doing wholesale purchases of blankets, tents, >dried milk, flour and warm clothes, packing them up in individual packs >and sending them off on trucks. > >however the current situation is that most of the effected areas are >still inaccessible by vehicles and what's more, the govenment/army have >still not gotten their act together and coordination of relief efforts >is inefficient to say the least. >so there's a huge question mark over whether the goodwill of those who >want to help will ever reach those who need it in time ? > >in Pakistan there is the trusted name of Edhi Foundation which can be >relied upon to deliver and people are generously donating to them. from >what i gather, Edhi is working mainly in Muzaffarabad and the >surrounding areas in Kashmir. > >but for the hardest hit areas of Balakot, Mansehra and the adjoining >villages, the best organisation to support is Sungi / Omar Asghar Khan >Development Foundation (OAKDF). These people have been working in that >area for the last 20 years and their head offices are in Abottabad, >which has become the nervecentre for relief efforts. > >Most importantly, they have knowledge of the local geography, >conditions and routes which anyone from the outside would be unaware >of. They have a loose network of grassroot workers spread over remote >villages, so they are best situated to know what is needed and where. > > If you'd like more info you can call > >Ali Asghar Khan of OAKDF : 00-92-300-8565279 > >or if you'd like to make a direct donation, then the relevant >information is as follows: > >for those outside pakistan: > >Omar Asghar Khan Development Foundation > >MCB Bank Ltd. > >Abbottabad > >Pakistan > >US Dollar A/C No: 0585-12-02-542-2 > >Swift Code: MUCBPKKAA > >and for donations in Pak Rs. > >PAK RS A/C: 0585-01-01-6019-3 > >thank you and please forward this email to those who might be >interested, > > >farjad |