Ethan Casey

http://www.dawn.com/2011/12/02/we-are-free-to-choose-peace.html

Peace Poem from a young schoolboy

MAKE PEACE

Poem by schoolboy in northern Pakistan

Make Peace, Make PEACE

Peace will give war a defeat.

We want a happy world,

But can only give us hurt.

We don’t fuel an exchange of blood.

Make Peace, make PEACE

We can’t see an eye filled with tears.

We cannot hear bad news from a place so dear.

Make Peace , MAKE PEACE!

Nic Kristoff on Greg Mortenson

These are also my thoughts on Greg :

Rotary Scholarships Sponsors Girls!

This is Rachel last month in Peshawar standing behind
the 3 girls sponsored by Portsmouth Rotarians!






Many thinks to Rotary Clubs of Ipswich & Hamilton/Wenham for their generous donations!
We will be able to sponsor 15 girls for this coming year that starts this month!

Also, thank you to the members of the Rotary Club of Portsmouth, NH for their contributions!

Selection of candidates was based on individual financial situations as well as who had the greatest determination to remain in school with parental consent.

This project is to encourage older girls to complete their high school education with the possibility that they may even look toward attending college. Often in this area of Pakistan, girls are pulled out of school by their parents due to the increased expense of classes as well as the possibility of premature marriage.

Education for girls at this stage in their life is essential in transforming society. The more education girls in this troubled region get, the less domestic and local violence will occur; chances of infant and maternal mortality also are greatly decreased. It has been shown repeatedly that in developing countries, the greater the number of educated women, the more civil the society is. Education empowers women with rights and independence in any culture or religion.

Back in Peshawar

I am back in Pakistan and being welcomed with the greatest hospitality wherever I go. It is a shame about the terrible drone bombings as well as the murder of the ISI agents by the US CIA agent but people know that does not involve me, nor Rotary. Here I am at the first of a number of school graduation ceremonies where I have been able to give away the prizes to the students.



We are starting a scholarship fund for girls, and donors from Hamilton/Wenham & Portsmouth Rotary Clubs have stepped forward with generous donations. The photo at the school gate is of myself with some of the recipients of the scholarships which will start next month!

More sooooooon!

There is ALWAYS something you can do!

For the most efficient ways to help
send tax deductable donations to -


in Pakistan :

"Ipswich Rotary Charitable Trust"
mark "Pakistan Flood Relief" on the check.
Send to the Ipswich Rotary Club, PO Box 543,
Ipswich, MA 01938


in Afghanistan :

helpwomenheal.org

Afghanwomensmission.org

charityhelp.org/afceco


Plus, educate your elected officials
and those around you to the reality
of the situations!

Do not rely on television to
keep you informed ....

Winter to worsen threats against children: Unicef

The News : Pakistan
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Our correspondent
Islamabad

More than four months after the worst floods in the country’s history, Unicef warns that winter will worsen the threats against Pakistani children who already suffer high rates of acute respiratory infections and malnutrition.
New polio cases are spreading rapidly with 126 this year compared to 89 in 2009 — an enormous cause for concern especially as Pakistan had made significant strides towards eradicating polio. Pakistan is one of the four polio endemic countries in the world, and low ongoing coverage in areas experiencing difficult security in the north, overcrowding, and poor sanitation as a result of the floods have exacerbated the threat for children.

“This crisis is far from over. It has just evolved in very different ways from one part of Pakistan to the next, and the humanitarian effort has had to adapt swiftly to reach children and women most in need as their needs change,” said Daniel Toole, Unicef’s Regional Director for South Asia. “Although most people have returned to their home areas, many have returned to near total destruction — with no homes, no crops, no food and no cash. In the north, snow has fallen and we are delivering winter clothes and supplies to help families prepare for a harsh winter, while in the south very slow receding waters have meant over a million lives are still on hold. The coming cold months will sharply increase the numbers of respiratory infections and malnutrition, two of the biggest killers of Pakistani children.”
One-fifth of Pakistan’s land area was ravaged by the monsoon floods that affected 20.3 million people. Some 10,000 schools and rural health centres were damaged by the floods, and important infrastructure was destroyed or badly damaged, including water and sanitation systems, bridges and roads.

In preparation for winter, Unicef has started to distribute warm children’s clothing and blankets. However, millions of families still need assistance in the form of water, medicine and nutritional supplements to survive the coming months, especially those living in the north of the country as harsh winter conditions approach.
UNICEF needs $82.1 million if it is to continue with its life-saving and recovery programmes in Pakistan. In addition, to expand urgently needed support to improve widespread malnutrition and to stop polio spreading, additional urgent funds are required for continued needs in 2011.