Earthquake Relief Efforts Continue

After the Oct. 8 earthquake that devastated large areas of Kashmir in both India and Pakistan nine months ago, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) made a three-year, $50-million commitment to support rehabilitation, socio-economic development and earthquake-preparedness in areas of the North West Frontier Province and Azad Kashmir in Pakistan. The AKDN is a group of nine private, non-denominational development agencies working to empower communities and individuals, regardless of gender, origin or religion to improve living conditions and opportunities, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South Asia and the Middle East. Founded by His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th Hereditary Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims, its mandate is compassion for the vulnerable in society. To achieve this aim, it has an annual budget in excess of US $300 million.

The AKDN works extensively in India as well through the Aga Khan Foundation (India). In February 2006, a delegation from the Foundation's India office visited the earthquake affected Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir to look over relief schemes implemented by government authorities.

They learnt that tents, blankets and rations had been distributed besides which about 12,000 temporary shelters, 66 community halls, and 103 school buildings were re-constructed. Likewise, 95 water supply systems were restored and 58,000 students had received free sets of school book.

Other efforts have taken to take place as well. The Aga Khan University, the Aga Khan University Hospital and the Aga Khan Health Service provided emergency medical services, including specialized trauma surgery, mass vaccinations, trauma counseling and training in emergency healthcare and nursing. The Aga Khan Planning and Building Service helped establish water supply systems as well as temporary housing facilities. The Foundation's helicopter wing deployed four AKDN helicopters for relief efforts.

In both its immediate and long-term relief endeavors described above and implemented or planned in Pakistani Kashmir, the network would draw on its expertise in planning and construction of rural and urban habitats in mountainous earthquake-prone tracts, in the development of energy and water sanitation infrastructure and in training the community in disaster preparedness.

While much has been done, there is still a lot of reconstruction work that remains to be taken up. Of considerable concern are the 61 health centers and 846 school buildings that were damaged by the temblor that are still in a state of ruins.

Newspaper sources indicate that in a major humanitarian gesture, the representatives of the Aga Khan Foundation (India), that included its CEO Nicholas McKinlay, have assured Indian government officials that the Foundation would fund the construction of all the damaged structures housing health centers and school. The Foundation's immediate relief efforts in Indian Kashmir, implemented through one of the AKDN's affiliates Focus Humanitarian Assistance, were concentrated in Uri sub-district. The Foundation's programme officer Joy Singhal described the new endeavor as a reconstruction and rehabilitation program in the villages of Uri region which would tentatively focus on building communities capacities on construction of seismic resistant buildings, strengthening rural livelihoods and disaster preparedness.

As time progresses in these remote northern valleys, the people will look to rehabilitating their homes and livelihoods. In this scenario, the Aga Khan Foundation's inputs are likely to be an invaluable aid.