The Zakat Foundation of America

Oct 13, 2010

Since the flooding began, Zakat Foundation and its partners have been addressing the emergency needs of the victims of the flood in Pakistan. Each day, our team on the field tries to reach victims in underserved areas that have not received any aid, be it food, tents or other basic needs. "Each region we enter increases the sadness in our heart and brings tears to our eyes. Each story that we hear teaches us how important it is to be with them, sharing their sorrow and helping them by becoming a source of hope" said Dr. Muhammad Tarhan, one of Zakat Foundation's representatives in Pakistan.

It was a very scary noise that woke up Muhammad Safir Ghulam on the night when the flood started. "That sound was like a wild animal attacking a sheep", he said, and he had never heard such noise in his life.

On August 12, 2010 Muhammad, like the other victims in Muzaffargarh, woke up and ran out to see what was going on. When he got outside he saw everyone was leaving town. The flood was washing everything away. He ran back inside to warn his family. "Everything happened within a couple of minutes" he said. Everyone was awake and started packing whatever they could. In this very short time they could only take a few belongings, just a few clothes and other basic necessities. He picked his kids up, and got out of the house along with his wife.

While making it to higher grounds, he saw many people in the middle of the road. "Kids were crying and people left everything that they had" he added. All of them were terrified by the fear of drowning rather thinking about what they were supposed to take with them.

An old man from the flood affected area, Mr. Din, said that he was enjoying dinner with his family members on the evening of the disaster when the flood came and surrounded his house. He had heard a sound of running water. At first, he thought it was the sound of some vehicle until he realized that it was a rapid gush of flood waters.

He took his family members to the roof as he could not see the water and can only hear the dreadful noise of collapsing buildings and screams and cries of women and children. The whole night was a night of unforetold doom for him as he was expecting that his house would collapse and the whole family would drown. As daylight crept in, he saw the same scene happening on the rooftops of neighboring houses, that his family had experienced.

In the long run, the victims of the flood will need extensive help. Millions of people lost their houses, farms and livestock. Farmers are without livestock and seeds to cultivate and continue their livelihood.

The winter will only bring more suffering to the flood victims. We can ease their suffering by providing them with tents, blankets, cooked and dry rations, medical equipments, hygiene sets, clothes and other basic necessities. Zakat Foundation continues to help our brothers and sisters in Pakistan by following the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad (saw) as he mentioned,"The Believers, in their mutual love, mercy and compassion, are like one body: if one organ complained, the rest of the body develops a fever." [Bukhari & Muslim]

To donate or to read more personal stories, please visit our website at www.zakat.org. Please help our brothers and sisters in Pakistan by donating generously to the Pakistan Emergency Relief Fund.