Andhra Pradesh Flood Victims Need Our Help!
“Over 2 million people are homeless and lost everything due to the flood.”
I have seen many disasters in the last 30 years—natural or man-made. The Andhra Pradesh flood is by far the worst.
Over 2 million people are homeless and lost everything due to the flood. The magnitude of the damage is magnified by the combination of heavy rains, over flowing rivers, and the broken Tungabhadra dam. Hundreds of villages and thousands of acres of crops just washed away; what took years and decades to build was destroyed in just a few hours. Now over two million people are in relief camps and they need everything to rebuild their homes and lives.
“I have seen many disasters in the last 30 years. …Andhra Pradesh flood is by far the worst.”
IMRC and Sahayata Trust are the first one to arrive at the affected areas with food and water, and have spent 50 Lakhs/$100,000 US. Over 100,000 cooked meals and water packets were provided initially; followed by distribution of clothes, blankets, medical supplies, masks, medicine, water purification tablets, cooking stoves, and utensils. Over 80 tons of groceries were distributed in the rural villages.
Our immediate funding target is to tap into the rehabilitation resources that are made available by the Indian government. The rehabilitation phase is such a humongous task that neither IMRC/Sahayata Trust nor any individual NGO can fund and support on its own. I am happy to report that IMRC/Sahayata Trust is the first and only (thus far) NGO meeting with Rural State and A.P. Housing Co-operative Society, a branch of the government of Andhra Pradesh spearheading the planning and re-building of 100,000 homes. The Government is offering Rs. 68,400 to build a home, while the sponsored NGO will be required to contribute minimum of Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 12,000. In consultation with local builders, the reality is more in the neighborhood of Rs. 20,000, which IMRC/Sahayata is ready to support per home.
Great News!! In our meeting with the director of A. P. Housing, our request for additional 1000 yards of land be allocated to each village for the building of communal infrastructures such as school/Masjid, children’s playground, and community center, has been approved. IMRC’s monetary contribution for 500 homes in each village is estimated at $20,000 US; plus 1 Crore to build other infrastructures will be another $50,000 US per village. Simultaneously, I am planning a Sahayata sponsored fund raising event this week in Hyderabad. Our initial target is $50,000 US. This is a good start. More will be needed and soon!
I urge all of our Muslim Brothers and Sisters in the US to help immediately. Don’t let the flood victims wait any longer for assistance.
Manzoor Ghori
Executive Director
Reported as of 10/28/2009
1000 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto, CA 94303
www.imrc.ws
(650) 856-0440
info@imrc.ws
November 5, 2009 by admin
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