Since July, Pakistan has endured more than 80% of its normal total monsoon rainfall in three weeks. Over 30 million people have been affected by heavy rainfall, flash floods and landslides and need urgent humanitarian assistance. According to officials, this is the country's worst flood since 1929. 

Humanitarian organizations are struggling to cope with the scope of the widespread scale of the disaster, as flood waters are still on the rise further ravaging the country into an alarming state. Thousands are without food and shelter in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces, which have been most affected by this natural disaster.

Pakistani Diaspora: The backbone of fast relief efforts!

With over 9 million individuals, the Pakistani diaspora is the 7th largest immigrant population in the world. And they are stepping into action now - as they did so many times before! Pakistani networks globally are ramping up their relief efforts, launch emergency appeals to raise funds for medical aid, food, shelter and much more to deliver to the people most in need. 

Immediate action is saving lives! 

Transparent Hands, the Pakistani diaspora organization in the US founded by Mrs. Rameeza Mueen, offers free healthcare services including medical and surgical treatments and arranges medical camps for the underprivileged communities of Pakistan. 

Since the prevalence of diseases increases in flood-affected areas due to the lack of clean water and sanitation, Transparent Hands is arranging free medical camps in some of the most impacted parts of the country. They are also providing food bags to thousands flood victims. 

Transparent Hands has launched an Appeal to support Free Medical Camps & Food Distribution Program for 100,000 affected people. The aim is to provide 6,400 food packs and healthcare services in Sindh, KPK & South Punjab. Follow them for updates on their activities. 

The Citizens Foundation (TCF), a registered US-based diaspora organization, is the largest employer of women in Pakistan and operates on a daily basis a network of 1,652 schools, 12,000 teachers and 17,400 employees. Currently many of their schools are flooded or serving as refuge for displaced families; scores of students, staff members and neighbors have lost their homes, and livelihoods across our communities have been swept away by the advancing waters.

TCF has launched an Emergency Appeal to 

• Provide 1 Million meals to affected families
• Help reconstruct homes for 5.000 families
• Rehabilitate TCF's schools damaged by the floods

Photo Credits: The Citizen Foundation, 2022

Helping people to stay healthy and alive amidst the floodings

The Human Development Foundation, a US-based Pakistani diaspora organization, was established in 1997 by a group of visionary Pakistani American doctors and philanthropists with the vision to help people help themselves. HDF is helping its partner communities in 35 districts of Pakistan in the areas of education & literacy, primary healthcare, livelihood & food security.

Human Development Foundation is currently ramping up their activities and have launched an Emergency Appeal for food packs, hygiene and medical kits and shelter kits. Follow them and their 

Midland Doctors was stablished by a group of doctors who had travelled to Azad Kashmir in response to the 2005 earthquake in Northern Pakistan. Now a UK-based nonprofit diaspora organization, it was created with a vision to provide free healthcare to those most in need.

Want to know more about their amazing journey? Then read on here.

Currently Midland Doctors have arrived on the ground and are starting to deliver the first medical services. Follow them on their Facebook.

"Our commitment is our advantage"

Many more civil society organizations are currently saving lives with their immediate action by devoting their time and skills voluntarily to raise funds for purchasing aid supplies, medical packs and much more to assist communities which are affected by the floodings and landslides in Pakistan. They either travel themselves to often hard to reach areas, or cooperate with local volunteers and organizations who implement the activities on the ground. 

One of them is SWAT Relief-Initiative, which, thanks to her founder Zebu Jilani, has been involved in the development and assistance of the SWAT region of Pakistan for the past 50 years. Zebu's story is just one of many and shows, that long-standing diaspora engagement is all about personal commitment and that setting one's mind to a goal can move mountains! 

Watch Zebu's story below.