Flood Relief Work - by World
Memon Organization & Shaikhani Foundation
REPORT OF THE WORLD MEMON ORGANISATION AND
SHAIKHANI FOUNDATION FLOOD RELIEF
Download or View this Report in PDF Format
[Click Here]
Download or View WMO Pakistan Flood Relief
Fund PDF [Click Here]
The 2010 Pakistan floods began in July 2010
following heavy monsoon rains in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab and
Balochistan regions of Pakistan. Present estimates indicate that over two
thousand people have died and over a million homes have been destroyed since
the flooding began. The United Nations estimates that more than 21 million
people are affected and became homeless as a result of the flooding, exceeding
the combined total of individuals affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami,
the 2005 Pakistan Earthquake and the 2010 Haiti Earthquake. At one point,
approximately one-fifth of Pakistan's total land area was underwater due
to the flooding.
The Government of Pakistan is struggling
to cope with the scale of the disaster and has made a desperate appeal to
the international community and the local/international NGOs to help by
donating tens of millions of dollars and lend a hand in the Rescue &
Relief Operations and arrange for supplies of food and medicine.
During the time of the Pakistan Earthquake
in 2005, the World Memon Organisation (WMO) had setup relief camps in the
remote mountains and provided medical aid, medicines, food, clothes, blankets,
tents and other relief goods to the earthquake victims. Later on, WMO was
able to build more than 300 houses and rehabilitate the victims from the
generous donations received from the Memon Community.
Now, after the floods have wreaked havoc
in Pakistan, the Memon Community has again stepped forward to alleviate
the plight of millions of displaced and desperate flood victims through
WMO. The World Memon Organisation (WMO) has setup the WMO’s Pakistan Flood
Relief Fund to play its part in the flood relief and rehabilitation work
The Shaikhani Foundation which is managed
by the heirs of Late Mr. Abu Bakar Shaikhani, Trustee of WMO, has joined
hands with WMO to jointly work for the relief and rehabilitation of the
flood victims.
Mr. H.M. Shahzad, Chairman, Flood Relief
Committee and Assistant Secretary General of WMO and Mr. Mehmood Shaikhani,
Convener, Shaikhani Foundation, are working day and night since day one
and are completely involved in the Flood Relief Activities. They have to
shuttle between Karachi and various Flood Relief Camps located in interior
Sindh on daily basis. Besides, these two gentlemen also travelled across
Sindh and visit other locations where relief goods are required on emergency
basis and distribute goods on behalf of WMO and Shaikhani Foundation.
A base-camp has been setup at Karachi where
money and relief goods are arriving. Till date, relief goods worth more
than US $400,000 has been received at base-camp at Karachi and has been
transported to various flood relief camps. Initially, the Flood Relief Camp
was based in Sukkur, Sindh when the upper Sindh was inundated by floods.
When the waters flowed downstream into lower Sindh, the Flood Relief Camp
was moved to Kotri, Sindh.
The Pakistan Rangers (Army) also worked with
the World Memon Organisation and Shaikhani Foundation at this stage and
provided logistic support. At this juncture, the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan
Mr. Abdul Aziz Bin Ibrahim-ul-Ghadeer paid a visit to the Flood Relief Camp
and distributed gifts to the flood victims. Presently, the Flood Relief
Camp is based at Gharo, Sindh.
The Office Bearers and Members of the Board
of Management of World Memon Organisation (Pakistan Chapter), along with
some important local and foreign delegates, paid a special visit to the
Flood Relief Camp at Gharo, Sindh, on Sunday, 19th September 2010. The Convener
of Shaikhani Foundation was also present. The Chairperson of WMO Ladies
Wing, Madam Hawa Abdullah along with few other members of the Ladies Wing,
who were putting a lot of efforts on their own for the above Flood Relief
Work, also participated.
The Flood Relief Camp located at Gharo, Sindh,
is about 76 kms from Karachi and takes about an hour and half’s drive. The
team left WMO House, Karachi at 11.15 am and reached the camp just after
midday. This Flood Relief Camp is a mini tent village consisting of 220
tents and where about 220 families (1400 people) are being given shelter,
food, clothing, medicines, medical care and all other day-to-day necessities.
The Flood Relief Camp also provided shelter and complete care to about 40
non-Muslim families for whom a special fund has been created.
At the Gharo Flood Relief Camp, food packets
consisting of rice, dal, wheat floor, cooking oil, salt, masala, milk, pure
drinking water and other items are distributed on weekly basis. The families
have been provided with stoves and cooking gas so that each family can prepare
their own meals according to their taste and convenience. Clothes have been
distributed to the poor and needy flood victims since these families had
to abandon all their belongings and run during the time of the floods.
Special gifts like clothes, footwear, Mehndi
(Henna), bangles and Eidi (cash) was distributed to the people, especially
children, during the auspicious time of Eid-ul-Fitr. Medical doctors and
nurses are available 24 hours to cater to any emergency cases. It is pleasing
to note that two babies have been delivered at the Flood Relief Camp. Any
patients requiring further medical treatment are transported to Karachi.
A permanent Masjid has been built at the Flood Relief Camp. Even after the
camps are closed and the relief work is over, the Masjid named Masjid-e-Abu
Bakar will remain to serve the people of that locality.
After the initial phase of relief work, World
Memon Organisation and Shaikhani Foundation will work on rehabilitating
each family and restoring their livelihood. The two organizations will visit
their hometown/villages of each flood affected family and assess the damage
of their houses and losses incurred and rehabilitate the families on case
to case basis. The visit was covered by ARY News TV and the delegates were
interviewed by the ARY News Team and the Office Bearers of WMO, Members
of Board Management, Members Ladies Wing and Office Bearers of Shaikhani
Foundation presented their views
Service to humanity is service to Allah.
Whatever little we can do for our suffering brethren will go a long way
in restoring the lives of these desperate and homeless people. May Almighty
Allah guide us all to put in our best efforts and contribute more and more
for this noble cause. Aamin
