Journeys to democracy

Not everyone was able to save their precious goats (AFP: Arif Ali)

The flood waters are receding but the needs of the flood refugees and survivors remains enormous. Blogger Farrukh Siddiqui summarises the main needs in this post  How can We Help flood victims in Pakistan

Here’s another way to help them: donate a live breeding goat to help them re-start their lives in a sustainable way.

At least two organisations I know of are working on this novel idea: Pakistan Animal Welfare Society and Sadiqa Salahuddin’s Indus Resource Centre (IRC) which has a long history of working on education (especially of girls) in the Khairpur area of Sindh.

The floods killed 236,114 livestock animals in Sindh alone, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority Sindh (PDMA). This has further impoverished thousands of flood-affected families who rely on livestock animals, notes Sadiqa apa (tel. +92-332-379-3701). In a recent email, she writes that IRC will identify affected families (IDPs that have gone back to their villages), purchase and deliver goats from neighbouring small towns. They will also train women in preventive and curative health of animals — vaccination, common ailments and remedies, nutrition tips, etc.

They will purchase the goats shortly after Eid ul Azha. A milking goat should cost Rs 9,000 to 10,000, a week after Eid. “Giving animals to flood affected families for breeding purposes are asset transfers and lead to greater income and food stability rather than a one-time distribution of meat. Please donate generously for this purpose and spread the word.”

A flood victim family with their goats uses a huge frying pan to travel across a flooded field heading back to their village in Dadu. Reuters

To donate through PAWS, see details on their website

To donate through the IRC, please note their bank details:
Title of account:                      Indus Resource Centre
Bank:                                         Habib Bank LTD
US$ Account no:                    00120250022610
PKR Account no:                   00120001651403B
SWIFTCODE #:                     HABBPKKA
Branch Code #:                      0012
Address:                                 ZamZama Branch,   D.H.A Phase V, Karachi, Pakistan.

OR send cheques made out to Indus Resource Centre at the following address:
Indus Resource Centre
D-42, Block 1,
Clifton,
Near Ziauddin Hospital,
Karachi, Pakistan.

Filed under: Floods | Tagged: dadu, donate, floods, goats, IRC, Khairpur, livestock, Pakistan, paws, sadiqa salahuddin |