Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
$50 let me knw via PM when n where i can give it.
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
isn't $1000 - 2000 is a very very modest ?
I would contribute except I am poor and totally broke (being a student) but Ill be donating once I start work (soon inshallah) also we have donated quite a bit via school for the edhi foundation.
Back to the point though, is $2000 really enough?
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
i agree with MR Fraudia.. wouldn't it be more helpful?? i mean mobilising local people..
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
a very good point.. i think we should look into this option.. also anyone good with MS access can draft up a quick db with input form that can be used the voluteers.. they can upload the db file everyday adn we will be able to merge them in access quickly.. this way the data will stay organized?
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
So Far: $500
Thank you Ansoon. Will let you know on how to fulfill your pledge.
Fraudz, good idea. I will let GenSec comment on that.
hiccy - I think generating $2000 at GS will be a good amount. qatra qatra darya banta hay.
Come'on hiccy, you better donate ten squids.
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
Guys, let's not derail this thread into what is the best way of spending. THE GOAL is to generate $2000.
We will let the people at ground zero decide how it's spent. But rest assured it will be spent the proper way.
NO MORE on how to spend but how much are you willing to pledge?
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
Gracias Lusi!
So far: $530
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
sorry FG the point is not to derail the thread but to make sure that the objectives are met in the most efficient manner. my mind is just wired that way.
as far as taking laptops to enter info in the field, availability of nearby power sources, accessibility to power sources, battery life etc will play a huge role in this. You do not want to be in a position where you are sitting in a village with a dead laptop battery.
I admire the sincerity with which this initiative has started and would urge ppl involved in it to think about the logistical challenges and plan accordingly.
In the end it may end up being ppl with note pads handwriting info, giving a reference Id to each case and referencing that with the picture number, and then faxing the notes when they are back in an area from which they can do so. I would strongly urge that ppl take extra cahrged batteries, extra memory cards etc for the cameras...basically assume that you will not have a way to easily send data back from the field.
a sperate thread can be opened on the execution of this endeavor.
I do not have Fakhar's current number but will email him and ask him to contact me. Gensec if you can PM me your name and number I will get that into Fakhr's hands either thru email or thru nadeem jaffery.
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
gensec, let me just give u fakhrs email address, check your pm.
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
I am sorry but I dont think this is such a great idea. I agree with fraudia. I can bet there are a lot of volunteers in Pakistan, no need to waste money, plus the area where these people will be going to is a difficult terrain, we dont want people who will end up being a burden on resources, than be able to provide any help. Also some NGO's are already doing this, check with Edhi and Ansar Burni Trust. People dont just cook ideas at home and start acting on them helter skelter, energies need to be channelled sat this point. Right now there are more voulunteers in devestated areas than possible survivors, we dont want more people doing something that is already being done by professionals. I have donated some money and will be donating more, but not to this idea, sorry.
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
Why doesnt gupshup do a charity drive here?
Have people pledge whatever amount they can donate and send it directly to Edhi. Instead of raising money for a plane ticket for a volunteer (yet to be determined) so he/she can go into a somewhat difficult terrain to collect pictures for an online database. Dont get me wrong, i aint questioning the good intentions of GenSec or others, but I think we should rather let the relief agencies do the job since they are more experienced at this task.
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
Well if there is a reliable person in pakistan who can use the money appropriatley to buy medical supplies, food, blankets, tents, etc and transport the stuff to the relief area, then we will be able serve the purpose of collecting this money.
If we are able to collect $2000, it is not a small amount in pak rupees and can be used wisely if planned properly.
Ya or we can donate it to ehdi or you guys (FG, Fraudz, Gensec) can devise a plan that will make the best use of this money.
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
I am very thank ful to all of you who are all so supportive...
I have gotten in touch with Ary - salman and other people who are incharge....
hopefully we can get this all up and runnign
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
here is some info i recevied about the status from other teams that are out there. please keep this in mind, I would suggest getting in touch with edhi and work with them to really make your efforts count
We went up as far as Balakot yesterday with some good trucks. Some
facts so that everyone can make sound decisions:
The road upto Balakot and beyond is completely clear. There is no
damage up until Shinkiari. Abbottabad has some fallen buildings but nothing
substantial. Shinkiari and beyond things get bad, but access is very
easy and possible.There is a huge traffic jam now, perpetual and unending, most of it
caused by cars accompanying trucks who just want to see. Better to ride
in the trucks in case someone wants to go personally.There is tremendous chaos and ill-discipline. No PROJECT OFFICE
where all relief organizations can come together and establish a pattern of
operation.
I think 60% of their time is being spent running about doing nothing.
The only two organizations working in a disciplined manner with
regard to delivery of goods and establishing services are the Army and Edhi.
Their camps are organized, their delivery is substantial and the process
seems to be running smoothly. We delivered half the stuff to Edhi and the other
half to the Army Camp just short of Shinkiari. Subsequently, one of the
trucks was taken directly to a village called "Ouggi" which had received very
few supplies.There is no need anymore for food. In fact, it is not wise to send
uncooked items since there is no means for cooking. What is required
now are tents and kafans as first priority, and blankets and epidemic
controlling drugs as second priority.Ofcourse, the shortfall is happening seriously in terms of machinery
to pull ppl out of the debris. International teams have been very
effective, Pakistani teams utterly non-existent except for whatever the Army could
pull together in terms of machinery.The first emergency medical camp we saw was in Abbottabad, at Ayub
Medical College. It was full of injured and dead. Also quite chaotic
but somewhat more organized than the one in Mansehra.The camp in Mansehra needs a PMO! There is all sort of political
manouvreing going on to get goods and supplies to specific spots thru
specific groups. I saw many politicians there - wont name them! - who
were shaking hands and just generally checking up alongw/ their individual
camera crews. For the 3 hours that we were there trying to find out who would
take custody of our goods, we saw no progress other than doctors who were
exhausted with looking after an unending line of injured. I saw more
dishonest activity going on than I did serious work other than by the
doctors. There were rooms full of medical supplies but they were all
getting wet and dirty due to the rain and hailstorm. I didnt see
anyone make an effort to move them to safer, closed structures.In terms of communication etc., cellular service is working all the
way to the top, i.e till Sinkiari, in patches ofcourse. Whatever
communication network you intend to set up, make sure you put ONE TEAM INCHARGE, to
organize it. I would advise do it in collaboration with either Edhi or
the Army. There isnt any other organization there that I felt was equipped
to handle any substantial cross-town, across-territory work.
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
^ agreed with Ashtray and Fraudia.
And not to mention the fact that I don't know who the hell half the people on this website are. I don't think anyone in their right mind is going to meet up with you, take a laptop from you, and head out to Pakistan. You could be a crazy psycho putting people in a trap. There are plenty of reliable organizations working right now, and its better to stay focused on what is needed. You have people who are on the ground saying they need this or that. So lets try to meet those needs specifically. If you are in tune with ARY/GEO, and the various threads here, you'll see what supplies are needed. You can either donate money, volunteer with an established organization directly (in which case, its best to meet with the people doing the activitiy, and its best for locals to directly volunteer), or send supplies.
I think what they really need is supplies. Manpower they do have, every hoo haa from every corner of Pakistan is coming forward to supply manpower.
They need:
Tents
Medical supplies : gauze, antibiotics, surgical instruments, painkillers, first-aid kits, bandages, etc etc
Clothes
Blankets
Food - canned food if its coming in from a distance
And if you can start talking to people in your community about adoptions, that would be great too. These kids will need to go somewhere, and I'd rather it not be a non-muslim family like my father's clients.
And sorry, but if you need 5 volunteers for your organization, it would make more sense to appeal to your own community, to people who know you in person. Asking for just 5 people (which is a small number) off the internet is a bit shady.
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
i already have about 20-30 guys in karachi who are ready to go... 5-10 people from here..
and a couple of them database and web specialist...
i'm sorry if it sounds a bit shady.. i'm just working around the clock to help in anyway possible
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
I DO NOT agree with Fraudia, dope and others who are suggesting that no airfare is needed and we should use locals. Gentlemen, we need somebody from abroad who is TOTALLY dedicated to heading the task. At the risk of generalizing, I think this person will have better management skills than somebody local.
If we were to go by your theroies, no teams from Japan, France or Turkey would show up. They would send in the money and let Khocha Khan dig the rubble.
I agree the majority of the help can be hired locally but we still need somebody from abroad who is totally dedicated to the task.
For Godsake, start making pledges NOW.
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
You got 5-10 guppies to agree to go to random villages and collect data? And these people don't know you?
Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket
Either make a pledge or get the hell out of here and start questioning in other threads.