WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN/Donate your old Digital Cameras

5Abi · October 12, 2005, 5:14pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

Fraudia,
Your PM box is full, so im putting the PM here:

Have Azkar or someone setup some paypal account and do a charity drive here on GS. All donations should then be sent to Edhi. All our efforst need to properly channelized thru one agency and donating money directly to Edhi will probably be the best way to go.

Zabardast · October 12, 2005, 5:14pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

It will be an uphill battle...besides arranging money for the tickets...you will need at least one helicopter to fly from village to village to collect data...think twice before you start and plan well...

PS: Consider the guesstimate:

So far...some 40,000 dead...some 100,000 injured and about 2.5 million homeless...thats heck of data to collect...hmmmmmmm

GenSec · October 12, 2005, 5:16pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

pc - i am making a desperate attempt to get 5-10 guppies , if not going to "random villages" then atleast giving me back up as far as organizign data and implementing it online....

ur right these people don't know me.. all they know is that we are all trying to help...

once again i thank all of you have offered soo much support... and i'm sorry to all those who i have not replied to (pm) - your services will be soon utilized.. as soon as i get clearance from pak

Many Minds, Many Hands, One Goal...

PyariCgudia · October 12, 2005, 5:17pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

Funguy, calm down.

Yes, people from abroad are needed, but its SPECIALISTS that are needed. The teams that came in from Japan, Turkey, etc are all specialists.

You and I have no special training, so what are we going to do when we go there? People from abroad that are needed are physicians, nurses, disaster team workers, etc etc.

If you wish to go there in person, I would recommend joining the International Disaster teams run by the Red Cross. As a red cross volunteer, you are trained in disaster relief, in logistics, etc etc. And then they send you to these countries when disasters strike - I know a few here who do that sort of thing, and they're experts on the matter.

Or you can join another disaster team. But regardless, going from village to village collecting data - its not a job for just any idiot off the internet.

Fraudia is right. What are you going to do when your laptop battery runs out in the middle of some village?

This guy hasn't given much details other than what he's posted here. Hence, I, as a person who does volunteer quite a bit, will tend to hold back. There are just too many shams that arise in this time of need.

Now if you get emotional and start backing up someone you don't even know, you could be putting other lives in danger. Are you going to take responsibility if this guy gathers his 5 guppies and rapes and kills them or robs them?

Lusi · October 12, 2005, 5:18pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

Yes, Ehdi is the most reliable organization and actually you should ask your people to go to the Ehdi office and ask them what kind of help they need from them. I would also suggest that instead of going on your own it would be better to get involve with an organization like Ehdi and utilize your time and energy where it is need the most (practically).
May be you should ask your people in Pakistan to check with the Ehdi organization, talk to them and make a plan of how you can make the best use of people, money, energy, and time.

Poondi · October 12, 2005, 5:18pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

Fakhar was on ARY today and he was of same idea that we need backup batteries for laptops. Not just laptops but their batteries plus all medical accessories.

PyariCgudia · October 12, 2005, 5:19pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

Why are they using laptops??

Use pencil and paper, or something like that. There is absolutely no sense in carrying around a cumbersome laptop in times like this, unless you're doing high tech logistics, newscasting, etc that needs a big computer program!

Jeez.

GenSec · October 12, 2005, 5:21pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

5abi,

Edhi is already getting tons of donations...
we here are trying very very hard to raise money to send to a team of doctors (www.eqrf.org)
and help get specialist database managers and web team to the region...

if anyone wants my fone number to talkt o me about this matter its located on the website... if anyone wants numbers for the team of doctors, staff, med-students in pakistan Pm me.. u can call and verify where the money from EQRF is going

5Abi · October 12, 2005, 5:24pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

GenSec, I can help out ChicagoBase and you with the tech stuff and website maintenence. I can also utilize other techies services as well.

PyariCgudia · October 12, 2005, 5:25pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

What scares me about this website that you've referenced is that there is very little background information.

There is a number to call, but nothing about the identities of the people running this fund.

Thap · October 12, 2005, 5:26pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

Fraudz:

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.

Great input Fruadz I will send further money raised to Edhi only from now on. I along with another co-worker are organizing a company appeal. Along with donations from friends and freinds of freinds using the company matching policy we are making headway mashallah.

Abdullah_k · October 12, 2005, 5:29pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

I am sure there's got to be some other organization doing the same or similar task. Redundancy leads to un-organization and waste of energy and efforts.

I am not questioning your sincerity. Make sure to plan well in advance. Getting around from village to village and coordinating everything between different teams will be a gigantic challenge. Cost for such a project could easily run into thousands of dollars. You need all the survival gear for your team for at least a month. Computers, generator, shelter, necessary gear, medicines, and transportation....Go, but please plan thoroughly..good luck :)

Thap · October 12, 2005, 5:30pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

As far as I see there would be advantage sending a guppy, someone who can report back to the community here regularly and keep people focused in their charity efforts. That information from fruadia just now changed the way in which I'll be doing things, we need more local information communicated clearly to those involved in raising money/goods from this end.

ashtray · October 12, 2005, 5:34pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

I have started a fund raising campaign with in my company, my friend has done the same in Honeywell and two others at Intel and Oracle have requested their community relations departments to do the same. Donate money to relief organisations please instead of being headstrong about your ideas. I am not questioning anyones loyalty, motives or dedication. I just want people to realize ke they can do a lot with out being physically there.

GenSec · October 12, 2005, 5:38pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

1) PC - i did not know you needed my resume to approve my efforts.... but since u mentioned it.. i'll give u a little back ground...

i was IdentitySearch supervisor in houston with the RedCross, My job was to get people who had lost everything - get the proper identification back from the state of miss.
i was also helping with the missing children - and gathering data which was later used on websites for people ones to identify their loved ones...

5abi, check your pm - thanks for the offer.. we can definately use some help.. lets set up this structure within a day or two...

Abdullah K - the reason why i havn't left yet is becauase i want to make sure we go and meet the right people.. i wouldn't want to be wandernig around not knowing where to go...
that is why i am trying nto hook up with any organization ... so when we arrive there we have a base.. we have a plan.. and we know exactly what we're doing and where we are headed....

InshAllah our nation will once again rise after this crisis is dealt with

PyariCgudia · October 12, 2005, 5:38pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

And that is what is needed most actually. In times like this, you'll see lots of disaster relief teams, and charity teams popping up out of nowhere.

I am sorry, but I have volunteered with a disaster relief team, and there is no friggin way that you are going to initiate such a team in short-term, gather trained staff, and send them into a damage struck area like what we're seeing. Its just not going to work.

Stick with established organizations that are working right.

GenSec · October 12, 2005, 5:40pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

keep up the good work…
i am just responding to our countrys appeal. they need specialist.. i am not going there just for the sake of being there to help… they need speialist there…

jazakAllah

PyariCgudia · October 12, 2005, 5:41pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

GenSec, I have one question. If you worked with the RedCross, why did you choose to come up with your own organization? There is much need in the RedCross to help out with the Quake work. Red Crescent teams are there - you could coordinate with their efforts if you chose to. And don't tell me they don't need any help.

From what you've done with the RedCross, I can safely say that you do not have the qualifications to start up your own disaster relief team. Sorry.

Mr_Fraudia · October 12, 2005, 5:42pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

funguy/gensec

I am in no way doubting the intentions here at all, I know some are, but not me.

I just want to make sure that while there is a fund raising drive going on, the team in question is really ready, knows what is the best way to achieve their mission, has planned around potential hurdles and issues etc.

The other teams that are there had to develop plans quickly, the team I am workign with to get tents delivered from China did so because they wanted to minimize costs and maximize speed of delivery. other med teams that are on their way also are going to be imbedded with larger relief groups that are already there.

the point is not to discourage the tea, but to have them be ready.

GenSec · October 12, 2005, 5:43pm

Re: WE NEED YOU IN PAKISTAN / Guppies to buy airplane ticket

Pyari WHO said i want to start up my own relief efforts! i want to take a team with me.. or myself even.. and join with the people who are already established there…

read this over again.. it mite answer ur concern of “joinging up with some organization”