Kashmir Earthquake
01/01/2006
Since the devastating earthquake of 8 October, SOS Children has been tremendously busy working at the centre of the operation to help survivors.
We have been asked by the Pakistan government to be the official guardian of unaccompanied children in the region, and we are supporting efforts to provide help to people during the coming harsh winter. We have provided items to set up a tented hospital - this includes 10 large weatherproof tents, medicine, medical equipment, five medical backpacks, an electricity generator, beds, blankets and other items needed for the hospital.
The hospital will be in Chikar Khas, located in the mountains in Kashmir and it has a population of 120,000 and yet not a single hospital. Operation Heartbeat will also make full use of the medical backpacks, and doctors will be hiking to remote towns to reach those in need.
Mara is one example of how we are caring long term for children affected by such a devastating natural disaster.
Five-year-old Mara used to live with her family in a remote area of the Kohistan District in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province. One day, Mara's life took a dramatic turn when her family was murdered following a dispute with other locals. Mara was reduced to living in a cowshed and fending for herself. She managed to survive on scraps food.
Mara survived the earthquake with an injured foot. However, when the relief team from the SOS Children's Village Dhodial, North West Frontier Province, found Mara amongst the rubble, the wound on her foot was badly infected. Mara was immediately transported to a field hospital in Bisham, where her toe had to be amputated - luckily doctors were able to save her foot.
While Mara is recovering physically, she suffers from severe emotional trauma and requires professional help. Mara will shortly be admitted to SOS Children's Village Dhodial, where she will be given all the care she needs as well as a new home and a family.
There are more reports detailing the support following the Earthquake on our Kashmir Appeal pages. You can support our work by making an online donation and putting "Kashmir" in the instructions.
England cricketers teach SOS Children a trick or two
Taking time out from their tour of Pakistan, stars from the England Cricket team showed off their batting and bowling skills to the children of SOS Children's Villages Multan.
Andrew Flintoff, Shaun Udal, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Liam Plunkett and Matt Prior joined the children for a game of cricket on the village cricket ground and children from the village also entertained the guests with a tableau. Vodafone, sponsors of the England team, chose children from the village to be mascots for the first test against Pakistan Michael Soper, Deputy Chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said, "The England team have shown that they are here to play entertaining cricket but also to help raise the profile of worthwhile causes in Pakistan."
A spokesman for the SOS Children's Village, Farhar Khan, said: "The England team have been extremely generous and the children have enjoyed the opportunity to meet such well known players."
Relevant Countries: Pakistan.