It's a hard rain that's a-falling on Pakistan. The scale of the tragedy is too huge for most human imaginations to comprehend. Most of us can't really visualize a million of anything, let alone twenty million.
Twenty million people? Thirty million people?
That's more lives, each with their own stories and joys, their own sorrows and songs, than in all of New England.
How many lullabies? How many dirges? How many songs of devotion? How many of love?
In a culture governed by oral tradition, to make music is to sustain links with the past (for the songs and melodies draw on the deep wells of tradition) and with the future (for songs must be aimed directly at listeners' memories if they are to survive).
To lose one's music is to lose connection with one's human family.
How many songs have drowned?
Help Pakistan! is a group dedicated to getting needed humanitarian support to flood ravaged Pakistan, and disseminating information pertaining to the floods to the dailykos community at large. Our goal is getting donations to those people who need it most.
If you have a negative comment pertaining to Pakistan, its people, its culture, or its relationship with the United States, please refrain from making it here. If you would like to be a part of our group, please click the picture at the very bottom of this diary. We would love more volunteers to help us with the burden of getting a diary up every day. Thank you, dailykos, for your time.
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There is too much music in Pakistan for a single Daily Kos diary, but I've tried to give a sampling of some of the things you might hear in different places and contexts around the country. I'll tell you a little bit about each of the pieces; please forgive my errors in ethnomusicology.
In general, the music of Pakistan shares structural and conceptual paradigms with the rest of South Asia. Harmony in the Western sense is unknown. While there are situations which involve group singing, this is almost invariably a group responding to a leader, as in the leader/group refrains of quawwali singing. There are two common models for duet singing, depending on whether the singers are of equal or unequal status. If the singers are contemporaries (as in the case of performing musical families) they will tend to sing in alternation. If they are at different levels of age or accomplishment, the junior member will tend to sing mimicking responses — filling in empty spaces, repeating refrains, making sure the musical texture is fully saturated.
There are three types of accompaniment: drones, melodic support, and rhythm.
Drone accompaniment provides a repeated note or group of notes that give a singer or instrumentalist a point of reference. In classically-based musics, the drone will come from a stringed instrument or a small reed harmonium; in folk music a one or two-stringed lute will often give a ringing tonic-fifth.
Melodic support consists of repetition of the primary and secondary melody lines in unison with the singer and in empty spaces between vocal passages. A second form of melodic support is extremely common: a bowed instrument or a harmonium will duplicate a singer's melodies (even the improvisations) with a split-second delay, giving a thicker melodic texture and keeping the listeners' ears "full."
Rhythmic support is provided by drums — commonly the paired hand drums known as tabla, or by one of the many kinds of folk drums found throughout Pakistan and South Asia. In the absence of harmonic motion, much musical interest is created by rhythmic variation; it's common for a song to be accompanied by richly complex drum improvisations, cadencing excitingly on the downbeat.
Musical aesthetics favor curving shapes and virtuoso displays, while singers specializing in textual subtlety (as in the masters of the ghazal form) are often applauded for the delicacy of their pronunciation of the complex phonetic constructions of Urdu poetry.
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While Pakistan's classical music is structurally identical to that of India, there are many genres of "light classical" songs which are extremely popular and extremely beautiful.
Perhaps the most commonly heard is the ghazal, a song with text based on poetic couplets sharing end rhymes. While ghazals were traditionally sung in intimate "salon"-type gatherings where the nuances of their lyrics could be appreciated, many contemporary ghazal singers are acknowledged superstars, traveling all over the world to perform their hits to expatriate audiences. One such artist is Ghulam Ali, who was born in 1940 in Punjab, and began study of Hindustani classical music as a teenager. He's known for his exceptionally beautiful voice, his fluid improvisations, and his emotive handling of text.
Here is arguably his most famous ghazal, "Chupke chupke raat din aansu bahaana yaad hai" ("Quietly, quietly, day and night, I remember shedding tears"). He is singing and playing harmonium in front of a small live audience, and his inspiration is in full flow.
While you listen, remember that Pakistan needs your help.
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Pakistan and India share the national characteristic of linguistic diversity. While the national language is Urdu, Pakistan has several important regional languages, each with its own traditions of poetry and song.
Let's begin with two musicians from Sindh province, singing in the Sindhi language.
Sufi Songs
A Sindhi singer with interview excerpts.
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Further North is the province of Balochistan, home of some of the most mesmerizingly beautiful music I've heard anywhere.
Ethnomusicologist Ted Levin writes:
The Baluch are a stateless people who evade efforts to count their numbers but who comprise roughly 10 million people spread over a vast territory that falls principally within Pakistan and Iran, but that extends into Afghanistan and the Arab Emirates. {snip} One of the characteristics of Baluchi ethnic consciousness is the preeminence of language over ethnicity, which made it possible for them to absorb groups originating from other ethnicities.
{snip}
In almost all cases [Baluchi] musicians belong wo the social category which unites tradesman and artisans — notably blacksmiths, metalsmiths and carpenters. Even if they occupy a modest position, then can at least boast of belonging to prestigious lineages of musicians.
{snip}
The genres of professional music are:
- shervandi - the art of the bards. Some people call it simply "Baluchi classical music," for it comprises the most elaborate genre, represented by a small artistic elite in the center-south of the country;
- traditional wedding choruses (nazink) and songs (sowt, noqta, ghazal);
- trance music (guati, damali, shiki or qalandari) with three repertoires that correspond to different rituals.
From Levin, Liner notes to "Mystic Fiddle of the Proto-Gypsies," Shanachie CD, 65013, 1997.
Balochi folk music
Balochi music.
Balochi music sung by Mir Fahad Mengal and party
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Another regional language with a rich tradition of sung poetry is Potwari (also known as Potohari):
The Potowari language (پوٹھواری (Shahmukhi); also known as Pothohari پوٹھوہاڑی or Pothwari) is spoken in the Pothohar Plateau district around Rawalpindi, Kahuta, Gujar Khan, Jehlum, uptil Gujrat in the south and Chakwal in the West, Hazara in the north and in Mirpur Azad Kashmir in the east and also by Sikhs from Pothohar now living in India. It is closely related to the Punjabi and is considered a transitional dialect between Lahnda and Pahari. It is often referred to as Pahari-Pothwari. Dialects include Dhundi-Kairali, Chibhali, Mirpuri, Jhelumi, Pindiwali and Punchhi (Poonchi).
Wiki
Sung poetry in the Potohari language
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Perhaps the best known musical genre associated with Pakistan and Pakistani culture is Qawwali singing.
Qawwali is the traditional form of Islamic song found in India and Pakistan. The word qawwali is derived from the Arabic word Qaol which means "axiom" or "dictum". A Qawwal is one who sings qawwali, or the dictums of the prophets and praises of God. The Qawwali is closely linked to the spiritual and artistic life of northern India and Pakistan.
While the most famous contemporary performer of Qawwali music was the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the Sabri Brothers' fame has been even longer-lived.
The Sabri Brothers: "Ya Shah-e-Jilani"
A group of qawwali musicians, called a party (or Humnawa in Urdu), typically consists of eight or nine men including a lead singer, one or two side singers, one or two harmoniums (which may be played by the lead singer, side singer or someone else), and percussion. If there is only one percussionist, he plays the tabla and dholak, usually the tabla with the dominant hand and the dholak with the other one (i.e. a left-handed percussionist would play the tabla with his left hand). Often there will be two percussionists, in which case one might play the tabla and the other the dholak. There is also a chorus of four or five men who repeat key verses, and who aid and abet percussion by hand-clapping.
The performers sit cross-legged on the ground in two rows — the lead singer, side singers and harmonium players in the front row, and the chorus and percussionists in the back row.
Before the fairly recent introduction of the harmonium, qawwalis were usually accompanied by the sarangi. The sarangi had to be retuned between songs; the harmonium didn't, and was soon preferred.
Women used to be excluded from traditional Muslim music, since they are traditionally prohibited from singing in the presence of men. These traditions have changed, however, as is evident by the popularity (and acceptance) of female singers such as Abida Parveen. However, qawwali has remained an exclusively male business. There are still no mainstream female qawwals. Although Abida Parveen performs many songs that are in the traditional qawwali repertoire, she does not perform them in the traditional qawwali style. Typically missing is the chorus which repeats key verses, as well as the handclapping.
wiki
Abida Parveen: "Bulleh Shah"
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The Northern provinces have a significant Afghani presence. Afghani instruments like the Rabaab are common in both "classical" and vernacular settings. Here are some itinerant musicians from Peshawar, recorded in Kawai, Kaghan valley.
The YouTube poster writes:
On our way to Naran we were stuck at the road near the town of Kawai for about ten hours (Naran is the main town in Kaghan Valley which is famous for the beautiful Lake Saiful-Muluk). A huge landslide had already blocked the road when we got there at about 2am. A lot of other cars were stuck there as well, some people slept in the cars, some spent the night on the roadside. This video is from the morning when these travellers from Peshawar took out their Rabaab and a makeshift tabla/drum. After the music show, the nice fellows offered us tea as well. Later, the bulldozers started their attempt to clear the road at about 8am but had to retreat after every few minutes because of falling rocks. The road was finally leveled well enough for the traffic to start crossing at about 12pm.
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Itinerant musicians can be heard in the cities as well:
Woman street singer in Karachi performs and talks about her life.
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Throughout the Islamic diaspora there is an enormous diversity and richness of drumming traditions, and Pakistan is no exception. In addition to the familiar classical tabla, there are also folk drums like the Naghara (sometimes spelled Naqqara — a pair of small kettledrums played with sticks, often to accompany the double-reed instrument called shehnai).
Folk drumming on Naghara and Khartaal. The YouTube poster writes:
Rajanpur is a town in Khawaja Ghulam Fareed's "Roohi" where river Indus flows between Punjab and Sindh Provence. Qaswer Buzdar's Jhumer party represents Rajanpur in Punjab Lok Boli Mela every year. They perform on the beat of unique instruments, "Naghara" and "Khar Taal".
Punjab Lok Sujag is an organization working for the social uplift of people of Punjab since 1984. The language rights of the people of Punjab are the area of interest and activities for us. To celebrate the richness of our mother tongue and to discuss the varied issues attached with its development, we organized a festival -- Punjab Lok Boli Mela every year since 2004. In 2007 it will be held in "Jaranwala" district Fasialabad from 23rd to 27th November. It is being dedicated to our freedom fighter "Bhagat Sing" and will be staged near his home town.
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A legacy of British colonial rule in Pakistan is the brass band. As in India, brass bands are especially popular at weddings and festivals.
The Sohni Brass band of Lahore performs at a wedding.
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Another legacy of colonialism that is less often heard nowadays is the bagpipe band, dressed in fabulous uniforms and rendering popular melodies with awesome grooves — neither of which came from England, in case you were wondering.
Bagpipe bands are also popular at weddings.
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Modern Pakistani culture has absorbed influences from all over the world. There are a number of successful rock bands which attempting syntheses of Pakistani traditional music with Western and World influences.
Perhaps the best known is Junoon:
Junoon (Urdu: جنون, literal English translation: "obsession/passion") is a sufi rock band from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, formed in 1990.[1] The band is directed by founder, guitarist and songwriter Salman Ahmad, who was soon joined by keyboardist Nusrat Hussain and vocalist Ali Azmat.[2] Junoon is Pakistan's most successful band; the Q magazine regarded them as "One of the biggest bands in the world" where as The New York Times called Junoon "the U2 of Pakistan".[3] Since their inception, the group has released a collective total of seventeen albums: seven studio albums; one soundtrack; two live albums; four video albums; and three compilations. Junoon is also Southeast Asia's most successful band of all time with more than 30 million albums sold worldwide.[4]
Wiki
Here is their song "Dosti" (Friendship):
Junoon's leader Salman Ahmad is active in raising money and awareness for the victims of Pakistan's catastrophic flooding:
On August 16, in an interview with BBC World Service, Salman Ahmad confirmed that he's writing a song named "Khwab" for the Pakistan flood victims in order to raise funds for them. He also confirmed that the song will be internationally released within a few week's time and hopes to record it with Pakistani and Western artists.[59] After a few days, it was confirmed that Salman Ahmad will collaborate with Peter Gabriel on the song "Khwab", in an attempt to raise funds for the Pakistan flood victims.[60] On August 25, Salman Ahmad talked to Dutch TV about organizing a charity concert with various artists to collect money for the flood victims in Pakistan.[61] In September, Salman Ahmad confirmed that he has collaborated with Alison Sudol on the song "Pakistan Humara" for the Pakistan flood victims.[62] Salman further added that Peter Gabriel will be bringing his genius to the song on September 6th. "Will try and send a picture from the studio", says Salman.
Wiki
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At the intersection of long-standing musical traditions and contemporary trends are singers like Sanam Marvi, a young Sindhi woman whose pop-inflected presentation remains true to Sufi conceptions. This piece was presented on the popular Pakistani music program, Coke Studio.
Sanam Marvi - "Pritam"
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These musicians come from all levels of society, from the privileged and cosmopolitan to the rural and disenfranchised. All of them come from a country that has taken some of the worst hits from our transforming climate. Pakistan's agony may be unimaginable, but when we listen to its musicians, we can be reminded that the terrible rains are not only washing away homes, roads and farmlands. How many songs have drowned?
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• • • • • •
New!! UPDATED! on wed. SEPT 1, 2010
Peition from Avaaz.Org
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Greg (Three Cups of Tea, Stones Into Schools) Mortenson's non-profit (CAI) recommends supporting a local (Pakistani) group to which donations will likely have a large, immediate, and lasting impact-
• • • • • •
Human Development Foundation
http://www.hdf.com
(800) 705 1310
DONATE
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Other groups that deserve support as well.
Doctors without Borders (MSF):
DONATE
The Red Cross:
DONATE
OXFAM:
DONATE
UNICEF:
DONATE
Toll free: 1-800-FOR-KIDS (1-800-367-5437)
Text: "Text FLOODS to 864233 (UNICEF) to donate $10"
Shelterbox:
DONATE
ShelterBox tents in Shishkat upper Hunza, Pakistan
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From the US State dept.
How You Can Help:
Text "FLOOD" to 27722. Your $10 will go to the State Department Fund for Pakistan Relief that Secretary Clinton announced August 19, and is part of a new effort to bring attention to the need for aid.
Text "SWAT" to 50555 ; $10 goes to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees fund for flood victims
Previous recommended relief diaries about the floods in Pakistan (with the Help Pakistan tag)
We are looking at what may be the worst humanitarian crisis the world has seen in a century.
Some of us at Daily Kos use a Google group to help organize for the crisis in Pakistan. Anyone who would like to get involved or get alerts when a new HELP PAKISTAN diary is posted, please join.
< ==== CLICK THE PIC
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How YOU can help
Shelterbox:
DONATE
To Text a Donation:
Text "FLOOD" to 27722. Your $10 will go to the State Department Fund for Pakistan Relief that Secretary Clinton announced August 19, and is part of a new effort to bring attention to the need for aid.
Text "SWAT" to 50555 $10 goes to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees fund for flood victims
"Text FLOODS to 864233 (UNICEF) to donate $10"
Action Against Hunger - contain the spread of water-borne illnesses. It will provide access to clean water through water trucking, repair water points, disinfect contaminated sources, and distribute purification tablets. The response will also include constructing emergency latrines and public sanitation facilities, distributing thousands of hygiene kits, organizing hygiene promotion campaigns, and helping communities clear the streets of rubble and debris. ACF is also planning "cash-for-work" programs to help families regain their livelihoods and will distribute household items. ACF will also provide vouchers to purchase basic necessities and micro-grants for restarting small businesses
ActionAid International USA - will provide immediate support in terms of food, non-food items, water, sanitation, hygiene and construction of shelters
Adventist Development and Relief Agency International - expects to distribute aid such as shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, food, and water
Aga Khan Foundation USA - providing food, temporary shelter, education materials for children, medicines and clean water to affected people. In addition, mobile medical teams have are providing emergency health care
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee - has opened an emergency relief fund and is collecting donations to directly assist the floods victims on a non-sectarian basis
American Jewish World Service - emergency support for victims of the flooding and helping to prevent the spread of disease
American Refugee Committee International - deployed mobile health teams to Baluchistan in Sibi district to provide health assistance. In Swat, mobile health teams have been deployed by boat to reach areas made inaccessible by washed out roads and collapsed bridges. ARC Pakistan’s maternal child health center in Swat remains operational and ARC’s team is distributing non-food items to patients and offering health and hygiene sessions, emphasizing education around contaminated water. The team is also distributing essential medicines
AmeriCare - delivering and distributing lifesaving medical assistance and emergency aid to flood-impacted communities
Baptist World Alliance/Baptist World Aid - sending funds for medical, food and shelter needs
BRAK USA - Pakisan has begun to deliver food packets containing such items at rice, lentils, flour and water purification tablets
Brother's Brother Foundation - plans to send requested donated pharmaceuticals and medical supplies (Gifts In-kind Accepted: pharmaceuticals, medical supplies)
Catholic Relief Services - aid packages include water purification tablets, soap, cookware, jerry cans, mosquito nets and more
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee - intervention that includes tents, mosquito nets, hygiene kits, and trauma counseling. CRWRC will also provide emergency food assistance to 64,000 individuals displaced by the disaster in hard-hit Nowshera and Charsadda Districts of Khyber Paktunkhwa Province. CRWRC will work with Pakistani partner Interfaith League Against Poverty (I-Lap) to provide 8,000 families with a one-month food supply including flour, salt, sugar, oil, beans, and spices
Church World Service - Assistance includes food and non-food relief items, emergency shelter and basic health services
CONCERN Worldwide US - prioritizing the distribution of: clean water, food, shelter, emergency medical assistance, mosquito nets, and basic hygiene and kitchen items
Food for the Hungry - distribution of food, NFIs, tents and hygiene kits (Gifts In-kind Accepted: NFIs: mosquito nets, hygiene kits, kitchen sets, cooking stoves as well as water purifying tablets and filters)
Friends of ACTED - essential non-food items, water & sanitation, cash for work, emergency shelter and rehabilitation of basic infrastructure
Giving Children Hope - tents, food and blankets as well as will be sending medical supplies to help those displaced by the flood (Gifts In-kind Accepted: Disaster relief materials: tents, blankets, flashlights, food, etc. [all new and in good dates])
Global Fund for Children - providing emergency support to our grassroots grantee partners in regions affected by the floods in Pakistan to help meet their communities’ immediate needs
HelpAge USA - has partnered with medical aid agency, Merlin International, to provide targeted emergency care to the most vulnerable older people and their families in the Nowshera district in Northwest Pakistan. Preliminary efforts include distributing mobility and hearing aids, emergency health assessment kits, as well as household items such as food, flashlights, bedding, and water containers
International Catholic Migration Commission - medical staff are providing individualized consultations in UC Prango, distributing medications, while also developing referral protocols and coordinating primary health care response with government hospitals, health centres, private clinics and dispensaries
International Medical Corp - support displaced people through mobile medical units serving the hardest hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in the northwest, treating cases of acute respiratory infection, acute diarrhea and skin disease. In addition we have deployed psychologists to address mental health needs, as well as hygiene promoters in the worst affected districts
International Relief & Development - provides safe drinking water, sanitation, household items, and emergency temporary shelter (Gifts In-kind Accepted:Tents, bedding, shelter for children, toys, solar flashlights, livestock feed, medicine to prevent and treat infectious diseases)
International Rescue Committee - water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions
Islamic Relief USA - providing food and water as well as distributing tents and blankets
Life for Relief & Development - tents, blankets, pillows, medicine and medical supplies, hygiene kits which include buckets, towels, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, laundry detergent and food baskets to feed a family of 7 for a month
Lutheran World Relief - In addition to food will distribute shelter kits, jerry cans, plastic mats, hygiene kits and mosquito nets (Gifts In-kind Accepted: LWR accepts quilts, health kits, school kits, baby layettes, sewing kits and soap for distribution during emergencies. Specific information about donating in-kind items is on our website.)
MAP International - coordinating with in-country health institutions and programs for the delivery and dispensing of medicines and medical services (Gifts In-kind Accepted: Accepting appropriate long dated pharmaceuticals, OTC medicines and medical supplies)
Medical Emergency Relief International, USA - has set up 28 health clinics and deployed 18 mobile teams. Merlin medics are running 24-hour clinics in Jalozai camp, home to over 100,000 vulnerable people, in response to a significant spike in diarrhea and other waterborne disease
Medical Teams International - have shipped three containers of medical supplies to partners on the ground in the flood-affected area of the country. The medicines and supplies are enough to help hundreds of thousands of people and are valued at nearly $2 million
Mercy Corp - Mercy Corps helps people in the world’s toughest places turn the crises of natural disaster, poverty and conflict into opportunities for progress. Driven by local needs and market conditions, our programs provide communities with the tools and support they need to transform their own lives. Our worldwide team of 3,700 professionals is improving the lives of 16.7 million people in more than 40 countries
Mercy - USA For Aid & Development - providing food, water and hygiene packages to families left homeless by severe flooding in the northwestern Khyber Pakthunkhwa Province. Each family package contains: 88 pounds of wheat flour, 11 lb. of rice, 6.6 lb. of pulses, 11 lb. of dates, 2.2 lb. of sugar, 1.1 lb. of dry milk, 2 liters of cooking oil, one portable gas stove, matches, one large water proof plastic sheet, one 10-liter jerry can, 5 liters of bottled water, water purification tablets, one towel, toothpaste, 3 toothbrushes, one fingernail clipper, 2 combs and 6 large bars of soap
Operation USA - helps communities at home and abroad overcome the effects of disasters, disease and endemic poverty by providing privately-funded relief, reconstruction and development aid (Gifts In-kind Accepted:Bulk disaster materials including water purification chemicals, shelter supplies, electric generators, medicines and medical equipment are accepted from corporations)
Oxfam America - installing toilets and water-storage tanks and delivering clean water by truck to prevent deadly waterborne diseases from sweeping through communities of displaced people
Plan USA - provision of tents, food and water, as well as health and hygiene kits in shelter camps. Plan is also working with local authorities to monitor and address possible disease outbreak
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance/Hunger Program - provide food, shelter and medical assistance
Relief International - deployed emergency health units to ensure immediate access to primary care and medical supplies; are distributing Emergency Family Kits that include water purification tablets, clean water receptacles and temporary shelter materials; providing clean drinking water to communities suffering from water contamination and to those with no access to water at all. Our team is organizing the distribution of non-food-items (such as clean clothing, bedding and household items) to children to ensure their survival
Save the Children - Of particular concern is the health of the floods’ youngest survivors. The agency is providing emergency medical care and distributing tents, shelter kits, hygiene kits, food and supplies. Save the Children has mobile health teams working in flood zones and is supporting health clinics. The organization is distributing hygiene and "clean delivery" birth kits and conducting hygiene promotion to prevent the rise in waterborne diseases like acute watery diarrhea. Save the Children also has established a diarrhea center for flood-affected communities in Swat
Solidarity Center - will use relief fund contributions to distribute clothing, medicine, and non-perishable food to displaced workers and their families, build temporary shelters, and assist in providing needed counseling and health care
United Methodist Committee on Relief - providing clean drinking water, food, temporary shelter, and medical aid to tens of thousands of people affected by the crisis
US Fund for UNICEF - have set up nine medical camps and are providing medicine, water treatment tablets, nutritional supplements, hygiene kits, and jerry cans. The agency is also supporting the local authorities by providing clean drinking water
World Food Program USA - providing monthly food rations to flood‐affected communities in 24 districts (Gifts In-kind Accepted: Please contact for more information)
World Vision, United States - has begun distributing food and water to flood survivors, and and plans to provide medical assistance, shelter, hygiene kits and other basic relief items as soon as possible