A princess returns home to Pakistan
06 August 2024
Zebu Jilani, the Founder and President of the Swat Relief Initiative (SRI) is dedicated to improving the lives of the residents of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, especially young girls.
The Swat Valley of northern Pakistan, in the highlands between Kashmir and the Khyber Pass, was once a lush, peaceful region. A place, where Zebu's grandfather, Miangul Jahan Zeb, was the last royal ruler (Wali) of Swat. And he was a real modernizer. The Wali built schools for both girls and boys – and toured remote regions, where no one had ever seen an automobile.
Then, in 1969, Swat relinquished its sovereignty to the government of Pakistan. So began a 40- year period of crisis that led to the rise of the Taliban in 2008.
SRI was formed in 2010 to help the area recover from the earlier takeover by the Taliban.
During the instability in 2009 when millions of people from Malakand Division, mainly Swat District, were displaced, Zebu Jilani collected money from family and friends in the USA and rushed to Pakistan to support those crisis-affected people. She stayed in Pakistan for months to support the people and once she got back to the USA, she discussed with her husband that one-time support was not enough and that she would like to continue supporting her people. Afterwards, she consulted with family and friends abroad and with their support, the Swat Relief Initiative was established.
We strive to improve the lives of women and children in Pakistan through healthcare, education, economic growth and a sustainable environment.
From an informal response to a formal diaspora organization
Since then, the organization has not only responded to major humanitarian crises but has also pursued longer-term programs mainly supported by the Pakistani diaspora in the USA. Swat Relief Initiative is registered both in the USA and locally in the Swat District.
Princess Zebu, as Swatis still refer to her, moved to the United States in 1979, but still keeps close ties to the community in Pakistan. She is the driving force behind all the organizations activities.
Nowadays, the organization provides various services, including community outreach, education, health, economic empowerment, and clean water projects. As part of their COVID-19 response, her organization provided food and non-food items to 14 villages supporting some 5,000 people.
Today, Swat Relief Initiative is one of the key humanitarian and developmental players in the SWAT district.
Read more about the activities from Ms. Zebu Jilani
