Pakistan is being affected by the worst floods in 80 years with 13.8 million people displaced, six million of whom require immediate help, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The displaced were living at or below the poverty line, whatever few possessions and assets they had washed away and their crops destroyed.
The public infrastructure in the region – including access roads and bridges – has been badly damaged or has collapsed. There is a desperate need for temporary shelter, clean drinking water and toilets to avert a public health catastrophe. People also need basic goods and essential medical care.
Acumen Fund has a few programs to help, such as their Rural Support Program Network, which is a national organization and the largest non-government network of rural development programs in Pakistan. RSPN’s partners have worked extensively in disaster relief efforts in Pakistan, including the 2005 earthquake.
There’s also the Kashf Foundation, which is one of the largest microfinance organizations in Pakistan and an Acumen investee. Kashf will be distributing relief packages to 10,000 households in the most affected areas. Given Kashf Foundation’s focus on providing sustainable livelihoods, the next phase of rehabilitation will involve support through access to financial services so that affected households can rebuild their income streams. To make a donation, contact CEO Roshaneh Zafar via her assistant at fatima.raja@kashf.org
Additionally, the International Rescue Committee is responding to the devastation and The Citizens Foundation (TCF) is offering assistance. TCF is a non-profit organization set up in 1995 by a group of citizens concerned with the dismal state of education in Pakistan.
If you can help, please do.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
