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.

Things are worse in Afghanistan....

This year alone 700 NATO troops have died and a much greater number of Afghans.

Here is a radio program done by Sonali Kholhatkar of the Afghan Women's Mission:

http://uprisingradio.org/home/?p=17809
(I am sorry but you will need to copy and past this elsewhere to listen!)

Pakistanis love to discuss politics with Americans

In Pakistan, politics is a national sport, like cricket. The political scene in this country, as well as the rest of the world, is always followed very closely by the majority of the population. There are over 30 different political debate programs on local TV stations.

The only government they dislike as much as their own is the government of the USA. They know much more about American Foreign Policy than many Americans do. They look forward to discussing politics with each and every American they meet.

The myth of "anti-American sentiment" is in reality, "anti-American Government sentiment". Pakistanis love Americans and are politically astute enough to differentiate between the citizens of a country and their government. When I travel, I always let people know that I am an American and end up in interesting and educational conversations.







When I travel I am never in any danger! If I am by myself and anyone even looks at me cross-eyed, bystanders would jump in to help me immediately.

THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF!!!!!

Distribution of the Kitchen Recovery Kits

On the morning of Dec.8, fellow Ipswich Rotarian Christyne Vachon and I distributed 50 of Kitchen Recovery Kits in the yard of DOSTI’s Tangi School. Also with us for the event was members of our partner club the Rotary Club of Unitown Peshawar, Zamarud Shah (brown suit jacket and sunglasses) and Mansoor Kahn(short beard and hat) Villagers of the Charsadda region of North West Frontier Province (now known as Kyber-Pakhtunwa or KPK) were picked out according to who was in the direst need.




Helping with the giving were also teachers and students of the local government school. The teachers worked as volunteers to run the DOSTI Tangi School for the poorest children.




I had looked forward to a happy experience of giving but felt immensely inadequate in the face of the massive loss suffered by the people at the gathering. One of the great moments I felt at the end of the event was when the last of my small speech was translated to Pashtu. I had said at the end that we Rotarians in American know that we are all alike. To see all those bearded men with their turbans and robes nod their heads in agreement brought tears to my eyes!








Purchase of the kits suffered from incredible and unprecedented inflation as prices were quoted 4 months ago. The size of all items shrunk by about 30%. The Federal Bureau of statistics reported in an article in today’s paper that from Oct. 2009 to Oct. 2010, prices win went up on the following items in the kits by : 80% for sugar, 160% for lentils, 10% for cooking oil, 14% for compressed natural gas, plastic products 13.7%, 6.5% for rice, 3.2% for flour. This inflation is due to lack of government infrastructure, massive flooding which damaged 30% of the nations crops, inflated transport costs, as well as a shortage due to the smuggling of essential items to Afghanistan where even greater prices can be obtained.

Pakistan Flood Recover - KITCHEN RECOVERY KITS

Two Million people have lost everything they owned in the recent floods in Pakistan...
Urgent assistance in needed in this already volatile region.

ROTARY IS THERE & ROTARY CARES!
Partner clubs are on sight working hard at this moment to assist those in need lest their region implodes.

Ipswich and Unitown Peshawar Rotary Club, are partnering to supply
Kitchen Recovery Kits
These kit consist of : gas cooking cylinder & burner,
pot, plates, cups, soap, cooking oil, 5 kilo bags of sugar, flour and rice. Each kit will ensure that a family will have clean drinking water and cooked food to maintain daily health during the recovery. Items will be of permanent use upon moving to a future location.
Price $79

Tax deductable donations can be made via checks to the Ipswich Rotary Charitable Trust noted "Pakistan Flood" and mailed to the Ipswich Rotary Club,
PO Box 543, Ipswich, MA 01938
more info : Rachel Williams, International Chair
tele : 978-372-1106 or email : literacy7930@mail.com

ROTARY CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!

Here's how:

Partners in Pakistan

Our partner Rotary Club the Rawalpindi Rohtas Rotary Club is working hard to help those suffering in the floods. We will wire funds directly to them so that action can be take immediately. Directions on how to donate directly to those in the flood, along with photo of Zahid Mirza and his son helping, is in the previous post.

More photos at http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/08/severe_flooding_in_pakistan.html

at :

FLOODING in PAKISTAN

In Pakistan flooding has already stranded 20 million people, more than 10 percent of the population. A fifth of the nation is underwater. More than 3.5 million children are in imminent danger of contracting cholera and acute diarrhea; millions more are in danger of starving if they don't get help soon. More than 1,500 have already been killed by the floods.

This is a human disaster. It's also a frightening opening for the Taliban.

The 5000 rotarians in Pakistan are working full time, with their own personal income to assist the afflicted.

If you would like to help by getting a donation to where it will help, your tax deductable donation can be made in the form of a check to the Ipswich Rotary Charitable Trust, noted “Pakistan Flood” and mailed to Ipswich Rotary Club, PO Box 543, Ipswich 01938. Funds will be wired regularly by the Ipswich Rotary Club to their partners, the Rotary Clubs of Rawalpindi Rohtas and Unitown Peshawar.

Iqral School MG in Process with Rotary International

District 7930 Celebrates Literacy Month of March, Internationally!!

Matching Grant for Iqral School in Sardheri, near Peshawar, in North West Frontier Province is now receiving items from the project. Total contribution for the project was $5000. This amount was increased by The Rotary Foundation to make up at total of $US17,000.

Ipswich, Greater Salem,NH, Peabody, Salem & Salem EarlyAct,
Gloucester, Manchester/Essex, Winchester Rotary Clubs

Watertown Rotary Club of District 7910 also contributed.

all contributed to MGs to empower schools for the poor in Pakistan!

Pictured here is:
the new generator to keep the lites on!
bus to bring more girls to school
computers to teach future skills and vocational training
& science equipment for better science education.
also on the way are locally made wooden desks and chairs.

DOSTI Foundation VP visits Ipswich & Greater Salem, NH Rotary Clubs

DOSTI Foundation vice president, Aijaz Ahmad paid a visit to the 2 clubs in District 7930 who sponsored the Matching Grant for Kalu Shah School in the Charsadda area of North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Through the DOSTI Welfare Association in Peshawar, Aijaz Ahmad donated funds to build the new school for Kalu Shah. The two Rotary Clubs, just north of Boston, teamed up with Unitown Peshawar Rotary Club to do a Matching Grant to buy desks, computers, blackboards, books and the first sanitation system in the village.

Aijaz is pictured here, in center with glasses:
Bottom photo is Rotary Club of Greater Salem,NH with President Rick Incollingo 4th from left.
Just below is Rotary Club of Ipswich where Aijaz is seated center with club presidet Bob Markel on left and International Chair Rachel Williams on right.