Soroptimist International

Programme Action

With the cooperation of members of ABP&AW and their friends and relatives within Pakistan and abroad, the Association got donations of around Rs 450,000. Before visiting Larkana,  feedback was obtained from various agencies involved in the city such as Sindh Red Crescent, our Branch President and Members, government functionaries and members of the media. Finally a relief camp in Merokhan Village was selected. This village is about 40km away from Larkana city. This camp is situated in the ground of the School with around 800 Children, 300 Women and 200 Men. Sindh representative is taken care of their medical needs the feedback was that the most needed provision was clothing. Majority of the population had only one dress, which they were wearing in the scorching lead they were taking bath in the same clothes.

Our member Shaheen, Ibrahim in Karachi and the National President, Ms. Shameim Kazmi personally did all the purchases at extremely modest rates from the wholesale market. Both of them worked in the humid summer of Karachi in Ramadan hunting the wholesale market scattered all over the city. Finally Association succeeded in collecting the following items for distribution:

·        1000 packs: Biscuits, cakes, Nido milk powder and nimco

·        For ladies: Stitched three piece suits with one washing soap, one baby soap and one comb.

·        For men: Readymade shalwar kamiz suits individually packed.

All goods were packed in the office of ABP&AW and were dispatched to Larkana via Blue Line Transport Service to the Branch President of Larakana Ms Gulnar Abbasi. Ms. Shameim Kazmi herself decided to visit the Merokhan for distribution. She started her journey at 8.00 P.M. after Iftari in her personal car along with her driver and escort. They traveled whole night to reach Larkana at 6.30 in morning, unfortunately short distance from Karachi to Larakana has been disturbed due to floods and they had to take long route via Sakkhar, from Sakkhar to Larkana traveling in night is a highly risky venture and this is a fact that it was only due to the prayers of all our members and their family that they reached Larkana safely even government officer was shocked when they heard Shameim Kazmi traveled alone in this area because cases of kidnapping and looting is very frequent in this area. On 4th of September with four members of Larkana Branch, one male doctor and three other male helpers including two crew members of a TV channel. Sindh News accompanied Ms. Kazmi for Merokhan village. Though we had planned a very smooth distribution process by preparing different clours of tokens, pink colur for children, white for women and yellow for men. However in the camp,  it was not possible to control the crowd, but with everybody’s efforts, we were able to manage the distribution of items smoothly. In Merokhan village, we visited another camp of a smaller size, where goodie bags were distributed for children. The team came back to Larkana at 2.30 pm.

The list of our generous donors will be published by the end of September because cash is coming from all our friends abroad and within the country.

In the evening at 6.00 P.M. a brief program was organized inside the premises of Jail, where DCO Larkana was the chief guest, but due to some last minute pressure, he himself could not come and was represented by EDO help. In this jail as per ABP&AW custom for the last nine years,  Eidi is being distributed among the inmates. Each inmate was given a three piece Suit with one purse, talcum powder, soap and henna. Aftari was also provided for all the women and staff member of the Jail from the specific contribution (Rs. 5000) of our member of Samina Faroqi, sherbet and dates were provided by our local member Kaneez Fatima. This program was very disciplined and well managed. Next morning on 5th of September at 9.00 A.M. the National President reached to Sukhar, where gifts were also distributed to the inmates of Women Jail, and 40 inmates of Juvenile Jail. Unfortunately in both Jails, a common reason for putting them behind the bar is drug trafficking, murder and thief and few cases of kidnapping. The administration of both Jails are very cooperative with our Association because we are the only NGO regularly visiting the three Jails and Sukhar Juvenile Jail. The Sukhar program was recited by the S.S.P Mr Qazi. The National President left  for Karachi at 3.30 p.m and reached back at 11.30 p.m. It was highly risky and tiring travel by road, but extremely satisfactory because all distribution was personally handled. One more camp has been selected in Sukhar, which will take place after Eid holidays.

Areas has been selected in the Province of Pakhtoon Khah (N.W.F.P). Our Branch President in Peshawar has done all the spade work and surveys for selection of the area.   The National President, Ms. Shameim Kazmi would be leaving for Peshawar Insha Allah around Sept 25th . She will visit herself these selected areas along with our Peshawar Branch President and Members to assess the priority needs of flood affecters, the Association would provide & distribute the required help within the cash in hand.

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