God’s Hand in Pakistan Aid

Because of help from various sources, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee has been able to continue its response to the devastating floods in Pakistan.

CRWRC originally put forward $105,000 of its existing funds for the flood response.With this contribution, CRWRC worked through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) - a partnership of Canadian churches and church-based agencies working to end hunger - and was able to deliver $2,515,000 in food assistance to devastated areas of the country.

This assistance was carried out in collaboration with CRWRC’s Christian partner organization in Pakistan, the Interfaith League Against Poverty (ILAP).

"CRWRC was able to leverage resources like this because CFGB and its members respect CRWRC’s expertise and were willing to work with CRWRC as the lead agency and contribute their resources to CRWRC’s response," said Andrew Ryskamp, CRWRC’s US Director.

Besides the funding to provide emergency food to flood survivors, CRWRC also wanted to help people meet their non-food needs of shelter, warmth, and security. To do this, it drew on some existing accounts.

Every year, people make donations to CRWRC’s Christmas gift catalog in lieu of buying gifts for their friends and loved ones. Because of these donations, CRWRC had $114,000 on hand that it could use to purchase tents, blankets, kitchen sets, and hygiene kits. CRWRC also used $160,000 from new Pakistan donations for this initiative.

To date, CRWRC has received pledges of more than $1.2 million from various European donors towards its Pakistan relief effort.

CRWRC has also received $341,000 in "Gifts in Kind" donations from other aid agencies. This means that other agencies have supported CRWRC’s efforts by providing medical equipment, tents, and other physical items.

As a result, CRWRC has been able to distribute 4,825 tents, 6,000 blankets, 8,065 hygiene kits, 8,065 mosquito nets, 8,065 kitchen sets including stoves and dishes, 7,915 gas cylinders (to fuel stoves), 100 tool kits, and 8,000 water cans to families devastated by the flooding in Pakistan.

In total, CRWRC’s current response - with an initial CRWRC investment of $379,000 - stands at $4.215 million, said Ryskamp.

While most of these funds have come from existing CRWRC accounts or through external funding agencies, CRWRC has also seen generous support from individuals across the United States and Canada.

More than $1 million has come in from Canadian churches and individuals and an additional $275,000 has come in from the US. These funds will be used for the next stage of CRWRC’s response, which will help families rebuild their homes and livelihoods.

"The floods left a lot of damage," explains Wayne deJong, CRWRC’s director of Disaster Response & Rehabilitation. "People will need to clear the soil of silt deposits, repair roads, and rebuild tertiary irrigation canals."

CRWRC has planned cash and food for work programs to address these needs.CRWRC also plans to distribute seeds, tools, and livestock and to provide small business loans as a way to restart livelihoods.On top of all this, the agency will build flood-resistant homes, repair latrines, and restore water supplies.

"We still have a long way to go, but we are determined to make a significant impact in the face of this huge disaster. We began with a relatively small amount of resources, but God has provided us with so much more," said deJong.

Financial support of this work is still needed. Donate online: US | Canada

Checks, marked "Pakistan Flooding 2010" can also be mailed or phoned into:

CRWRC-US
2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI, 49560
1-800-55-CRWRC

Or

CRWRC-Canada
3475 Mainway
Burlington, Ontario L7R 3Y8
1-800-730-3490