Kashmir International Relief Fund

Earthquake Update

2006-05-20T03:23:00.000-07:00

Four million are displaced in the devastating earthquake in Kashmir and majority includes women and children who are sending SOS signals each day for the promises that were made on their behalf and are not fulfilled to the final level.

A jolt which rocked the region with a magnitude of 7.6 at the Richter scale has left countless tales and serious steps are needed to mitigate the sufferings of people which are in millions and not in thousands.

The efforts are there and world is pouring in money but all the hard work appears so little as the number is so large and every individual has a woeful tale. Once owners, Kashmir has residents, who have now been reduced to the level of beggars.

Kashmir International Relief Fund (KIRF) was formed 14 years ago and it was primarily an organisation that used to take the welfare activities at the start of Ramadan each year and the money gathered from the people were spent on schools, vocational institutes and basic health units.

“The earthquake was a catastrophe that was beyond our imagination and we were shocked,” said Ishfaq Ahmed Chief Executive KIRF. “It was horrifying and the misery we saw cant be explained in words but local knowledge added with our work in the past we knew the area and we knew how things should be handled.”

We were the first to suggest that tents will not work in the terrain and it has to be a tin shelter and later our suggestion was accepted but it had its price. The people in camps lost their lives and that included women and children most.

How many lives were lost no exact count can be given but we believe it could have been far less had our plea been considered earlier. Bagh means “Garden” in local language and was worst hit region in Kashmir after the earthquake its no more a garden.

KIRF is working in Kashmir and has focus on three areas and that are providing shelters, livelihood to the people who need it most and assistance in different capacities to mitigate the suffering of the people.

Over two millions have their hands up and they seek a hand to hold their hand and YOU have that hand that can help and take them out from the distress which takes them down with every passing day.

Please help us to put some of them back on their feet and all we have is YOU who can make the difference. You can donate for schools, help for building shelters, help in bringing smiles back to amputee patients with wheel chair and medicines and above all you can join us in the batches of volunteers which will be sent in times where you can help people back to their feet.

Our Work During Earthquake in Kashmir

2006-05-18T00:11:00.000-07:00

All possible care was taken as there should be no duplication in relief assistance and people were numbered and their needs were assessed along with other organisations who were also working in the region.

PROVISION OF FOOD IN EARTHQUAKE AFFECTED REGION:

Muzaffarabad: The families provided with food number upto 3630 and KIRF seeks YOUR assistance in any form to help them get back on their feet. These families were provided assistance in the first quarter and efforts are underway to help assist them back to shelters.

Bagh: The worst hit region as well as the base headquarter of KIRF has 4260 families benefiting from the food made available from YOUR assistance.

Poonch: 3365 families were given food assistance in the form of

WARM BLANKETS / QUILTS/ MATTRESSES IN EARTHQUAKE AFFECTED AREAS

Muzaffarabad 407

Bagh 2883

Poonch 382

WARM CLOTHES

Muzaffarabad 137

Bagh 165

Poonch 122

TENTS

Muzaffarabad 390

Bagh 435

Poonch 10

SHELTER HOMES IN AFFECTED AREAS

KIRF was first to raise the issue of shelter homes as KIRF had prior experience of the region and the working knowledge as what is required in the terrain for the masses who were left helpless facing the catastrophe.

The iron sheets distributed amounts up to 79,190 and families that were provided shelter from KIRF are 7919. The winterised kits are 792.The work to date has 4423 shelters which are completed and work on another 1047 is in progress.

Other relief organisations also contributed and KIRF is grateful for the assistance provided by them in the form of food, tents and medicine and they include GOAL, IOM, ADRA, Mercy Malaysia, Aurat Foundation, Pakistan Army, NRC and Amira Farhat. Amira Farhat donated 100 heaters which were distributed immediately as they were needed most during the freezing winters. The donations coming from these organization amounted up to Rs 3,02,04,054.

ABOUT US

2006-04-02T03:52:00.000-07:00

October the 8th nature turned on mankind and a devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 on Richter Scale rocked Kashmir affecting and displacing millions.

The cities were wiped out from the face of earth and thousands were buried alive in the rubble. The survivors in the open cry for help every second of the day as magnitude of destruction surpass the amount of relief that is pouring in the region. Dilapidated road network and jeep tracks and people scattered in different villages is the biggest problem for the relief goods to reach the desired destinations.

The progress in these circumstances is slow but steady as the areas are identified and help is reaching which is only possible from the contribution and care shown from your side. Kashmir International Relief Fund has been active in the region for the past 14 years and did a modest amount of work in the past and having won the

trust of the people over the years, KIRF had the local knowledge and the expertise which, was acknowledged later by all who were involved in the relief efforts.

The tents in particular were not the right type of shelters was later proved correct as KIRF with the background was the first to initiate the provision of tin shelters in the worst hit region and others follow suit.

Once owners in Kashmir the people are now reduced to the level of beggars and KIRF is working hard to bring respite in the lives of the affectees and has projects that list up to 122.

“KIRF was primarily an organisation that used to take the welfare activities at the start of Ramadan each year and the money gathered from the people were spent on schools, vocational institutes and basic health units.”“The earthquake was a catastrophe that was beyond our imagination and we were shocked,” said Ishfaq Ahmed Chief Executive KIRF.

“It was horrifying and the misery we saw cant be explained in words but local knowledge added with our work in the past we knew the area and we knew how things should be handled. We were the first to suggest that tents will not work in the terrain and it has to be a tin shelter and later our suggestion was accepted but it had its price. The people in camps lost their lives and that included women and children most.How many lives were lost no exact count can be given but we believe it could have been far less had our plea been considered earlier.”

Bagh means “Garden” in local language and was worst hit region in Kashmir after the earthquake its no more a garden.Over two millions have their hands up and they seek a hand to hold their hand and YOU have that hand that can help and take them out from the distress which takes them down with every passing day.

Please help us to put some of them back in their feet and all we have is YOU who can make the difference. You can donate for schools, basic health units, help for building shelters, help in bringing smiles back to amputee patients with wheel chair and medicines and above all you can join us in the batches of volunteer which will be sent in times where you can help people back to their feet.

Testimonies

2006-03-06T01:29:00.000-08:00

Coming soon.......

Volunteers

2006-03-05T03:21:00.000-08:00

To be Updated Soon...........

Our Parteners

2006-03-03T03:25:00.000-08:00

Royal Bank of Scotland

Royal Bank of England

Walthamstow Islamic Centre

MORE INFORMATION TO BE ADDED SOON....

Our Projects

2006-03-02T05:17:00.000-08:00

KIRF has 122 projects in the region and every one is listed as how it helped the affected people in the region who benefit from it and have nothing but praise for YOU who made it possible for them.

Education: Approximately a 1000 students are listed in the 11 schools that are funded and build by KIRF and few of them are handed back to the local authorities. These schools are scattered in different districts of Kashmir and there is always need for assistance.

Health: Over 66,000 patients have benefited from the medical services provided by the seven KIRF run facilities. They are under construction and providing services at the same time and there is need for their further expansion so that more people can utilize from them.

Water Supply Schemes: 65 water supply schemes are in operation and over 47000 humans and over 11,000 animals benefit from them.

Vocational Training Centres: Twenty one centres are under KIRF and there is a need to have more of them as these centres are built specifically for women and serve the purpose of capacity building and help them in learning skills so that they can share the burden of the family.

THE WORK DURING EARTHQUAKE IN KASHMIR IS LISTED AS UNDER:

Provision of Food in Earthquake Effected Regions:

Muzzafarabad: The families provided with food number 3630 and KIRF seeks YOUR assistance in any form to help them get back on their feet. These families were provided assistance in the first quarter and efforts are underway to help assist them back to shelters.

Bagh: The worst hit region as well as the base headquarter of KIRF has 4260 families benefiting from the food made available from YOUR assistance.

Poonch: 3365 families were given food assistance in the form of:

WARM BLANKETS / QUILTS/ MATTRESSES IN EARTHQUAKE AFFECTED AREAS

Muzaffarabad 407

Bagh 2883

Poonch 382

WARM CLOTHES

Muzaffarabad 137

Bagh 165

Poonch 122

TENTS

Muzaffarabad 390

Bagh 435

Poonch 10

SHELTER HOMES IN AFFECTED AREAS

The iron sheets distributed amounts up to 79,190 and families that were provided shelter from KIRF are 7919.

The winterised kits are 792.The work to date has 4423 shelters which are completed and work on another 1047 is in progress.

Amira Farhat donated 100 heaters which were distributed immediately as they were needed most during the freezing winters. The donations coming from these organization amounted up to Rs 3,02,04,054.

How You Can Help

2006-03-01T05:33:00.000-08:00

It is but you who has made it possible for KIRF to do all this and it is but you who can make a difference in the lives of people who will benefit from it.

You Can:

help in building up a community hospitals that are under construction in different districts and will mitigate the sufferings of 100,000 that will benefit from it. (?)

Help in building schools (List of underconstruction schools and costs)

Help in providing shelters (cost of one shelter).

You have helped us build 4500 shelters so far and another 1000 are in completion stage caring for as many families.

KIRF seeks your support in expanding it further as its but 2 million women and children who are affected and every penny for them matters.

Provide medicines/ clothes/ food and necessary items and they can be collected from your doorstep.

Help KIRF run medical camps/ eye camps/ skin disease camps/ (Cost of running a camp)

Help a widow with a family of 5 (50 Pounds).

Help a child with food and education (10 Pounds).

Help building a vocational training centre for women (cost).

Help building a vocational training centre for women. (cost).