TRG'S Campaign for Flood Relief

14 August 2010

The Resource Group (TRG) management has actively participated in extending financial and on-ground support for rehabilitation in flood-struck areas of Pakistan.

On the global front, TRG employees played an instrumental role in the success of a fundraising dinner organised and supported by various networking organisations like OPEN in Bay Area on 29th August 2010. This event was attended by 405 professionals who contributed an approximate total of $0.5m to various charities who are supporting the rehabilitation of flood victims in Pakistan.

In Pakistan, TRG's efforts started with the launch of a major drive to collect funds and essential dry / non-perishable food items in Karachi and Lahore offices soon after the first wave of floods hit the provinces of Punjab and Sindh. Several employees in TRG Karachi facilities also took part in a blood drive conducted by Fatmid foundation to meet the shortage of blood being faced in the flood-affected regions.

The first lot of dry food items collected at TRG along with employee salary pledges were donated to the local chapter of the International Red Cross / Red Crescent in Pakistan. This was followed by direct support activities which included air-cargo of a consignment of medicines, drinking water and tents to affected areas in the southern province of Sindh, along with volunteer employees distributing relief goods to the victims on-ground. During this first trip to the affected regions of Sukkur, Shikarpur and Jacobabad, TRG volunteers met with various support oragnisations and interacted directly with the flood victims in order to determine their most urgent requirements.

\After identifying the need for gastro and respiratory medicine, water purification, clothing, utensils, soap and other hygiene items, the group made a second trip the following week with ration packs each sufficient to sustain a family of 4-6 people for a period of seven days. In this trip they focused mainly on the coastline areas of Indus in Tando Mohammad Khan district (275 km North of Karachi) where displaced victims from adjoining flood-affected villages have poured in, and there is virtually no aid available to them. The volunteers set up camps in these areas and distributed ration packs to almost 700 families (4100 people) who have temporarily settled in this region. They also provided medical supplies and treated the homeless sufferers to a warm meal.

In continuation of the voluntary efforts for flood relief, the TRG employee volunteer team proceeded on a third trip soon after Eid-ul-Fitr, travelling to Baluchistan to a remote place near Marriabad around 20 Kilometers from Hub, where they provided basic amenities, like ration packs, clothing, hygiene items and utensils to 625 families camped there having travelled from Jacobabad and other adjacent villages of Sindh and Baluchistan.

A fourth trip was made to the Punjab province focusing on Muzzafargarh and surrounding areas near Multan, where around 200 rations packs were provided to homeless families. TRG volunteers also provided the affected families with kitchen utensils, matches, candles and clothing, and distributed small tents and ropes for setting up shelters.

In addition to these internal donation drives and on-ground relief efforts, TRG is currently working with several leading charity foundations in the country and supporting their efforts. One such effort is the on-going pro-bono support provided to the Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman & Imran Khan Flood Relief effort under the banner of 'Pukaar'. TRG employees across both Lahore and Karachi continue to volunteer by collecting donations made via toll-free numbers advertised in the US, UK and within Pakistan. TRG also successfully provided support to 'Pukaar' by taking thousands of phone calls during the two Telethons recently hosted by Geo TV.

Target / Populations Areas

Areas covered: Jacobabad, Sukkur, Khairpur, Mirpurkhas and Tando Mohammad Khan in Sindh, Muzaffargarh and adjoining areas in Punjab, and Marriabad in Baluchistan.
Areas to be covered in the near future: Nowshera and Charsadda in Khyber Pakhtunwa, and Daira Dir Panah and Dhabeji in Sindh.

Partner / Aid Organizations

TRG Pakistan has collaborated with reputable leading charity foundations:
- Pakistan Red Crescent Society for distribution of food items    donated by employees
- Fatmid Foundation for an emergency blood drive on in TRG    Karachi facilities, to contribute to the shortage of blood in blood    banks due to recent needs of floods victims
- Imran Khan Flood Relief (IKRF) / Mir Khalil Ur Rehman for    Pukaar’ telethon
-  Watan Foundation for medical camp at Shikarpur
-  Sindh Rural Support Organisation (SRSO)
- The Superstars “for Flood Relief” team consists of a global    network of volunteer professionals (including some TRG    employees) who are passionate about helping the Flood    victims
-  The Telecard Relief Team
-  Oasis village a flood relief camp established in Dhabeji by the    organisation "UNDER THE ROOF"