Ongoing

At approximately 9am local time on the 8th of October, 2005 one of the most massive earthquakes in modern history struck Pakistan and Kashmir. This devastating quake measured a 7.6 on the Richter scale (similar to the 1906 earthquake which destroyed the entire San Francisco Bay area) and over 75,000 people are now confirmed dead with a total of over 4 million people directly affected by the earthquake.

People living in thou mountainous regions were heavily affected as mountains toppled and crushed entire villages while cutting off all road access for emergency relief. Those who did not die of the direct impact would die from injuries because help could not reach. The greatest area of effect was in the Northwest Frontier Provinces of Pakistan and western sections of Kashmir. Shops were open and people were either shopping or napping from their pre-fast meal and thus were unable to escape the torrent of rock and stone.

Throughout the areas affected by the earthquake buildings were devastated; more than 60% of all structures were destroyed. Some cities like Balakot were almost completely wiped off the face of the earth, and many small villages had no chance to escape devastation intact. It will take more than a decade for all structures to be rebuilt and for life to truly “return to normal.”

In the days following the massive earthquake, people crawled over debris of homes, schools, shops and apartment buildings picking through the rubble in the hopes of finding life. Each successful recovery of life was punctuated by dozens more found dead; but each life saved was a celebration. As the infrastructure was destroyed, water, food and portable generators were brought in to keep people alive and working as long as possible to save as many lives as they could.

What are the key problems?

• Tens of thousands of people are still homeless
• Medical care is struggling to come back to full capacity
• Hundreds, perhaps thousands of orphans because of the earthquake
• Hundreds of widows and destitute young women who have lost their families because of the earthquake
• Thousands of people are still unable to work

What can be done to help?

• Medical care must be provided across the region in one way or another
• House construction programs with earthquake-resistant platforms would secure not only the reconstruction of the home, but prevention from future collapse
• Vocational training programs to provide people with new job skills and assist them in finding job placement
• Orphan care in the forms of housing, education, medicine
• Widow care in the forms of housing, education, vocational training and medical care

Zakat Foundation Response to the Need

From the first day of devastation, The Zakat Foundation’s teams launched into action, sheltering hundreds and feeding thousands within 24 hours of the incredible earthquake which struck Pakistan and Kashmir. Our offices, in place year-round in Pakistan, were already stocked with food supplies due to our Iftar program. In Islamabad we were able to report that our orphanages were undamaged and not a single one of the orphans within were harmed. Our team concentrated on the establishment of two camps for victims. One in a converted sports complex, lent to us by the Pakistani government, and the other adjacent to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital to serve released patients and their families.

Extending outward from Islamabad, our teams established tent villages in Muzaffarabad, including a fully operational field hospital staffed with surgeons and even equipped with ultrasound and x-ray equipment. From there we were able to establish villages in the Attar Sheesha border region and into the Northwest Territories. Most importantly is that we were able to sustain these tent villages and grow them into complete centers for living and rehabilitation following the earthquake.

Throughout Pakistan and Kashmir our teams rescued people and brought them medical aid, relocated them to our tent villages for care (if needed) and provided food and cooking materials to everyone. Our medical stations had been cited as among the best in the recovery effort by the Pakistani government. Due to the government’s immense respect for our efforts we were given access to facilities to use as hospitals, residential facilities and care for special needs. It was because of our great relationship that the complex of Ashiana was created and care was given to The Zakat Foundation by President Musharriff himself.

Countless thousands of people weekly have benefited from the activities in Pakistan; many owe their lives to Zakat Foundation’s teams and their ability to react so quickly to the earthquake. It is only due to the continuous support of our donors that any of these acts have been possible. By the power of the unified donation of Zakat Foundation sponsors, we were able to act not only as a bandage in a time of need, but to become a constant helping hand to guide through the entire path of rebuilding a nation.

The people of Pakistan and Kashmir are still in need of assistance; our ongoing efforts to provide care are strengthened by your donations. The existing presence we held in Pakistan allowed us to be on the forefront of all recovery efforts and thus we have been able to do more work for the South Asian earthquake relief than for any other disaster response work to date.

Breakdown of Aid by Region/City

Islamabad: Since the first day, the Foundation has been serving to the earthquake victims in Islamabad on a grand scale. The Zakat Foundation has two major camps; one in Aabpara and the other in Iqbal Hall (which is a converted sports complex), a small camp adjacent to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital has been providing food to the patients and their relatives. Fifty tents have been donated to those affected by the earthquake in the “H-11” section as well. The Foundation has been helping the victims living in a set of apartments provided by the Capital Development Authority with necessities like blankets, sleeping pads and regular food items. There are presently 350 families residing in the area that The Foundation is supplying supplies to on a regular basis.

The Zakat Foundation is appreciated by the Capital Development Authority and Interior Ministry for its effort in Islamabad and its name is mentioned in daily reports as the only local organization with shelters in Islamabad.

Recently Iqbal Hall, which was allocated by the Capital Development Authority from the first week to the Foundation to take care of the affected families, has given back as per the request of the Capital Development Authority. Those families have been transported to Aabpara Camp and have been provided with tents and other necessities. The Capital Development Authority appreciated the Foundation and thanked for its all efforts.

Muzaffarabad: Tents are being replaced with the new insulated ones to withstand the harsh winters. The field hospital has also been rebuilt with a floor of tiles and new insulation so that the hospital may have operating rooms, maternity care and a delivery room as well as the standard wards. Soon there will be enhanced services, including free operations, ultrasound and x-ray service. So far there have been six births in the field hospital and there are sixty potential mothers in our tent village and more of them from the surrounding area. Our field hospital serves not only to the people of our camp, but others from the mountain villages or the city Muzaffarabad. There are at the moment two female and two male doctors at the field hospital.

Some kitchen utensils have been bought and distributed to the camp residents. As soon as the kitchen area is set up, the people will start cooking their own food. These sets include: a cooking pot, a pan, a kettle, a jug and glasses, plates, spoons and a knife (most items are adjusted per the number of family members).

There are two large tents which have been set in the tent village to serve as a school. At this date, the number of the students from Nursery to Grade 8 is around 300. All the children are provided with all the needed school supplies and are overjoyed to be able to restart school.

Attar Shesha: The field hospital of Attar Shesha has become one of the best known medical facilities in the area, providing with free x-rays and fully equipped operating table. At the beginning there were times when this field hospital saw more than 350 patients in a day with sixty operations. The hospital is capable of maintaining fifty bedded patients and has a staff of more than 10 doctors at time working voluntarily.

A plot of land has been rented to be used as a tent village exclusively for widows and orphans. Around 300 tents are being placed for their use, as well as another full fledged field hospital. This hospital will serve the surrounding area in addition to those living in the camp.

Ashiana: With the grace of Almighty Allah, the Zakat Foundation and its partners have been honored by the Government of Pakistan with the permission to collect and take care of the orphans, widows and destitute women. Since this was granted, the teams of the Foundation have been working in the earthquake affected areas and interacting with the victims in different camps and villages.

The President of Pakistan has named this area Ashiana. The Presidential Initiative Rehabilitation Centre for Orphans and Destitute Women was praised by his Excellency and the General Secretary of United Nations, Kufi Annan on November 18, 2005. It is a massive complex with residential blocks, a school, hospital, helipad, vocational training centers, playgrounds, parks, cafeteria and a conference hall.

At present there are around 248 orphans and 60 women with a capacity to maintain 1400 people. All the residents are provided with clothing, shoes, and personal hygiene items upon their arrival to Ashiana. The children have been registered in the school on the basis of assessment tests given by the teachers and by the children’s background education. The children have been provided with all needed materials for school which includes uniforms. Additionally, there are two playgrounds in the school area for the children’s recreation. Read more about Ashiana here.

Reconstruction Efforts

After all relief efforts, the Foundation is going into rehabilitation programs of the earthquake affected areas. The Foundation intends to build 1000 houses, some schools, clinics and Masajid in Azad-Jammu Kashmir and the Northwest frontier provinces.

With the coordination of the Kashmiri government, The Zakat Foundation has taken on the responsibility of building a school and Masjid in Ghari Doppata near Muzaffarabad. Soon we will establish a training center centrally located to educate the locals on construction to assist in the rebuilding projects. Meanwhile a construction committee has been formed by the Foundation for planning these long term projects. The committee is working on the proposals of different construction companies and is operating in coordination with the Government.

The second area where construction will start is Battal which is in North Province of Pakistan. There are around 800 houses which were totally destroyed in the area which The Zakat Foundation has proposed to rebuild.