Seva continues during the winter in Pakistan

Waheguru Ji Ka KhalsaWaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

I landed back in Pakistan on the 25th Dec to check on the relief work carried out in the Muzafarabad area by various Khalsa Aid ( KA) Sewadaars since my departure on the 1st of November.

I wasn't well when I left the UK so i went straight to Bed after landing in Islamabad at about 830am. At 1pm I was woken by the whole hotel shaking and my bed moving violently. I found out later that it was an earthquake measuring 5.2 on the richter scale. Its a very strange feeling that I have experienced many tremors and minor earthquakes but I don’t panic anymore. I just block it out.

I hired a car with a driver to take me to Muzafarabad and discovered on the way he didn’t have a driving license, which is a nuisance as I feared that if the police stopped the car I would be stranded in the middle of nowhere and the driver probably arrested. Then later on I discovered that the brakes on the car were not in proper working order, he was speeding around the deathly hairpin bends on the mountains and the car nearly flew into the sky and 2000 ft into the ravine below. So I forced him to stop in the next town to repair the brakes!!!!

I got to the camps about 3pm and was greeted very warmly by the local NGOs with whom we have built a very good working relationship. After a strong cup of tea I went to inspect the toilets which KA had built in that particular camp and discovered that the 2 "western style " toilets were totally blocked with rocksand and were sealed off. The locals who had come down from the mountains were not sure how to use them and had damaged them in the process. I asked the camp Coordinator to rip these 2 toilets out and to install the traditional"Pakistani" styled ones in their place. There were 10 other "Pakistani" style toilets which were working fine and were being kept clean.

After the sunshine disappears it gets very very cold. I was wearing boots and 2 coats but still felt the cold wind especially on my legs. I met many kids who had only flip-flops and when I asked them if they had any socks they simply replied 'NO'! So I will buy about 2000 pairs of kids socks in the next few days. I also visited a camp run by the Sikhs from Lahore who are doing a fantastic job. I asked if they needed anything and they gave me a big list. They asked for FLOUR, DAAL, SUGAR, OIL and other food stuffs and the doctor in their camp asked KA to buy some medicines too. I spent the night of the 26th being a night watchman and was kept warm by a fire which I had kept burning by bits of wood from around the camp all night. By 530 am I was shattered and crashed out in the nearest tent. I think I actually crawled into the tent as I was completely knocked out. I got into what I thought was an empty make shift bed but discovered a big smiling face (wonder why he was smiling...hmm?) so I just slept on any empty bit of space and woke up at 1130 am with about 5 guys having a meeting around me.

Waheguru Ji Ka KhalsaWaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Ravinder Singh
Chief Coordinator
KHALSA AID NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT,PLEASE DONATE GENEROUSLY!!

Please donate online ,www.khalsaaid.org or you may also donate by direct bank transfer (see website for details) or by mailing a cheque/money order in the name of Khalsa Aid to our mailing address:
Khalsa Aid
c/o Ravinder Singh
66 Grasmere Avenue,
Slough,
SL2 5JF,
England

Mission to Niger

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Dear Saad Sangat Ji,

Most of you are aware of the terrible situation in the 2nd most poorest country in the world,Niger.Just before the deadly earhquake in Kashmir there wasnt a single day when the famine in Niger wasnt in the headlines.Now Khalsa Aid (KA) is launching an aid operation to assist the people of Niger.

"Severe drought, on top of last year's locust invasion, devastated crops and plunged huge parts of West Africa into crisis, particularly Niger, Mali and Mauritania" (Oxfam )

I had made plans to go to Niger for an initial assessment in September but it wasnt easy sorting the visa as i had to arrange this from Paris and then i also had to obtain visa for Nigeria as i am planning to travel through north Nigeria to south Niger.On the 7th of October i recieved my visa for Nigeria but then the earthquake struck the next day and i was diverted to Pakistan to set up relief operations.

I have been setting up contacts in Nigeria through a very good Nigerian friend,Edward,who i have known since 1993 and is a barrister based in London.Khalsa Aid will link up with Youth Integration For African Development (YIFAD)and utalise their local knowledge so that the relief program is more effcient.

KA will hopefully help the people of Niger in several ways,Help villages to purchase animals,provide medical assistance,food distribution and to support local businesses.
Khalsa Aid is taking the Sewa to a country that needs all our support,thousands of children are dying due to lack of basic food and medicine.Waheguru has blessed us with 5 course Langar in all western Gurdwaras but do we really appreciate the meaning Langar or Wand Kay Chakna?In all western countries we leave the Gurdwaras and go home to a fridge full of food.Shouldnt we be thinking of the people who just about get a kilo of flour and rice a week?

The average Gurdwara has an annual income which runs into hundereds of thousands dollars but how many gurdwaras actually spend the Sangats money on the poor and downtrodden of this world.If even 5 Gurdwaras started to donate 10% of its monthly income on humanitarian needs then Bhai Ghaniyia Ji s work would be in all poor countries.

I appeal to the members of all Gurdwaras to take the initative and let the "GOLAK "(collection box) be the mouth of the poor and not just a way of collecting millions to be deposited in banks.The world needs the concept of Sewa which is instilled in every Sikh from childhood.
Let us be the ones who take a major step into the world of hungar and grab the hand of a dying child.Thousands of children are dying of hungar every minute around the world,we cant save them all but we can bring hope to a few who have given up all hope of life.If you are a mother or father then imagine watching your child dying slowly and painfully in your arms due to lack of basic food.Its not just a gimmick but a harsh reallity.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Ravinder Singh
Founder/Chief Coordinator
Khalsa Aid (UK)

Since I left Pakistan on the 1st of November various volunteers have continued the sewa program. Baljit Singh from Derby (UK), Mohamed Khan from Slough (UK) and Tejinder Singh who is on his second tour of duty. Tejinder Singh has really been very committed and has given up more of his work time to go back to Muzafarabad to carry out the crucial sewa.

On Eid Khalsa Aid (KA) donated gifts to 350 children in Eid Garrh Camp inMuzafarabad and also donated 6 tons of food to the same camp. As most of you are aware KA's main program is building toilets and washrooms in various camps in the earthquake effected Azad Kashmir. But we have also taken responsibility for providing food in the Eid Garh Camp in Muzafarabad which is run by Sikhs from Lahore and has approx 150 families.

Today (23rd Nov) I had a call from Tejinder Singh that he has been liasing with the Pakistani Army and has arranged an airlift by 2 Chinook helicopters of 5 tons of food from Islamabad to Muzafarabad. This will save time and make distribution of food more efficient. KA hopes to work closely with all agencies to streamline the aid program. So far KA has built 76 toilets in 4 camps which round the Muzafarabad area.The building of laterines is not as easy as most people think. The location and design of the latrines are the most important factors. If the location is not in the right place then we could end up polluting the camp areas and making things worse.

Each toilet consists of the following: a toilet pan, metal sheeting all around as cover, 2 meters of 6inch pipe, 1 meter of 3 inch pipe and a large drum (apprx 500 gallons capacity ). The mens and ladies toilets need to be situated well away from each other. We normally build 6 toilets in a block and then each block has a large water tank on the roof which is connected by 22mm copper pipes to each toilet for the water supply. So now imagine undertaking to build 300 of these all over Kashmir and the logistical task involved. The materials are all purchased locally and the contractors are appointed according to the availability as their trade is in big demand.

Before any building work can begin the permission of the land owner is sought so that we dont end up building the toilets and the land owner knocks them down the next day. Khalsa Aid (KA)took the step towards sanitation as there was a great need. TheUnited Nations reps in Muzafarabad were not very well coordinated to assist KA, but have recently applauded the work we are doing to minimise the spread of disease.

Khalsa Aid (KA) is also providing very large water tanks all over the region so that drinking water is available to more people and reduce the waiting time for filling containers. The work involves a lot of finanacial committment and we are therefore appealing for funds to continue this very important work.

Khalsa Aid is very very grateful to Jamat-Ud-Dawa our local partner in AzadKashmir who have been excellent in their support both mentally and physically to all the voluteers of KA.

Waheguru Ji Ka KhalsaWaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Dear Saad Sangat Ji,

As most of you are aware I have been involved in Khalsa Aid since the day I spoke to a few friends about starting a Sikh humanitarian organization in April 1999, during the 300th birthday celebrations of the Khalsa Aid.

Khalsa Aid was born to allow the Sangat to fulfil Sarbat Da Bhalla and Wand Kay Chakna. Since then Khalsa Aid has provided aid in Albania, Turkey, Orissa (east India),Gujarat (west India), Afghanistan, Congo, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and presently in Kashmir.

I believe very passionately that we Sikhs can truly make Khalsa Aid an organization which will stand shoulder to shoulder alongside other international organizations. The Sangat has so far been extremely supportive. None of the sevadars have been paid for their work and outstanding commitment to Khalsa Aid. This is an exception rather than the rule with charitable organizations.

But now with Khalsa Aid firmly established in the minds of other organizations, I believe its time to move Khalsa Aid to another level. This is especially important as we get approached by organizations such as the UN on our capabilities and assistance. I have committed 3-4 full days per week to Khalsa Aid so that we can implement further programs around the globe to provide assistance to the less fortunate and to work closely with organizations that we are building relationships with like the UN and WHO.

The concept of Sewa is a very unique and wonderful gift from GuruNanak Ji.

I am also a normal person with a mortgage, bills and children to raise but I refuse to be paid for my work in Khalsa Aid. So I have decided to arrange my salary through sponsorship from friends and businesses so that Khalsa Aid donations are not affected by payments to me. I have raised about 60% of my required amount so far and am appealing to the Sangat, individuals and businessmen to pledge any amount they can towards my salary for at least 6 months.

This way everyone will know that they are assisting my work and that no one is taking a salary from Khalsa Aid donations. Once my required amount is reached I will inform the would-be donors to re-direct their donations to the Khalsa Aid account or to sponsor me for a further six months.

As an aside, I urge everyone, especially medically qualified Sikhs, to come forward and take part in Sewa through Khalsa Aid so that we too can offer assistance to the needy of this world. I will be happy to provide further information. Please e-mail me on ravisingh@aol.com

Ravinder Singh
Founder/Chief Coordinator
Khalsa Aid

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
www.khalsaaid.org
www.khalsaaidsevadar.blogspot.com

KHALSA AID UPDATE.PAKISTAN PART 1

Its Sunday 30 10 05 ,i think this the correct date.I have just returned from Muzafarabad and i am feeling totally knocked out.I have had no internet access since 27th Oct.I have been in Pakistan for over 2 weeks and i will be returning to London on Tuesday.

I have split the final blog into 2 parts so that i can describe the relief work which i have initiated in the first part and the personal/emotional in part 2.

For the past 3 days i have been following the progress of the sanitation program that i have initiated on behalf of Khalsa Aid in Muzafarabad and visiting various other camps in the vincinty.The sanitation situation in the camps is "absolutely shocking and totally unacceptable" as desribed to me by a member of the UN staff.I showed him my plans of the laterines that Khalsa Aid is constructing,he was very surprised and pleased that we have taken such an important step.I spent couple of days meeting various organisations and attending many meetings arranged by the UN.We wanted to expand the sanitation program as a matter of urgency due to the risk of some diseases spreading in camps with lack of sanitation.

During this time the second volunteer from Khalsa Aid,Baljit Singh had arrived from London.I took him to the Ud-Dawa ( our local NGO partners ) and sat down with their co-ordinator to see how Khalsa Aid could implement the program without further delay.The problem we faced was that there was no builders,carpenters or any trades people available till after Eid,which is on Thursday or Friday.The situation in the camps was terrible and it seemed unthinkable to delay the sanitation program for so long.I remembered a US Navy Lt Col Kilian offering technical assistance to any organisation who wished to start any project in Muzafarabad.We went to see him and he was very cooperative.He asked us to buy the materials and his team will help with the digging and installation of the laterines.We went back to the camp and after speaking to a builder Baljit Singh worked out the amount of materials reqiured for each laterine unit.

I spoke to Ud-Dawa coordinator to make sure he can help Baljit to purchase the required materials and then all Baljit got to do is to take the Americans to the camps and let them do the rest.I have no doubts about the Ud Dawa people helping Khalsa Aid without myself being there,they have been absolutely fantastic and full of support.I have asked Baljit to buy 5 more water tanks as some camps are struggling with a single tank.

Khalsa Aid has become a key player within the humanitarian releif efforts and is well known to the UN staff at Muzafarabad.Its 1230am in Islamabad and i have an extrememly runny nose and watery eyes due to the dust ,so the 2nd part will have to wait till tomorrow.

KHALSA AID UPDATE,PAKISTAN

Tuesday 25th Oct.I felt very weighed down today,maybe its partly because of Teji leaving for London tomorrow.Teji has been fantastic,his wonderful spirit and absolute commitment to the relief operation was truly inspirational.I will ´be alone for a day or 2 which is probably why i feel strange kind of emptiness.I have worked alone in Andaman Islands and Somalia but the relief work has not been so intense and demanding as it is in Pakistan.I feel very honoured to have worked with such a humble and dedicated individual as Teji.I thank him on behalf of Khalsa Aid and a very warm thank you from myself.

Its been a very demanding mission and involved a lot of travelling around as the effected areas are far from the main commercial cities.I have been having one meal a day due to the fasting month in Pakistan,i have lost some weight too.All the running is catching up with me now,i feel very tired and unfocused.I had to force myself to do anything today.

I miss my 6 year old boy Jivan very much and he phones me to ask about the children in the camps. When the earthquake was reported in the news he knew i would be going,me and my boy are very close. He really does understand that i have to go on the relief mission,he told me a couple of days ago that he had collected 13 Pounds to buy toys for the kids in the camps.I dont think most people realise that the volunteers have kids and loved ones too and its always a difficult and worrying time for their families when they are on the other side of the world on a relief mission,sometimes in hostile places.

I met a young lady from the World Food Program,i explained to her about the local NGOs,Ud-Dawa, that Khalsa Aid is working with and who are doing a wonderful job of delivering aid deep into the mountains by every means possible.I want the WFP and Ud-Dawa to form a partnership so that they can create a very efficient relief team.Ud-Dawa has about 1500 full time volunteers in Azad Kashmir and 400 active in Muzafarabad.They also have vast knowledge of the mountainous treks and paths.The young lady,Claudia was very interested and gave me the details of the WFP coordinator in Muzafarabad.I immediatly set off for Muzafarabad,4 hour journey from Islamabad.After reaching the Ud-Dawa camp i took their leader and we met with David the WFP coordinator.The meeting was very positive and they arranged to meet on Wednesday to see how they will work together.

On our way back we had a lucky escape,a truck driver decided to go a the wrong side of the road on a blind bend.I dont know if it was me getting my hands on the steering and turning it violently or the drive braking perfectly which saved us from a 1000ft drop into the river Jhelam.That was a very very close call.

Ravinder Singh

Wagah Border and Muzafarabad Camp Photos II

Wagah Border and Muzafarabad Camp Photos

Heart rendering exposure to camps

Tejinder Singh or Teji arrived from Lahore on the afternoon of the 22nd Oct with a sample of tent material and also a sample of a sleeping bag. After close inspection of the aforementioned items i decided to order only 100 of each so that the local NGOs in Muzafarabad could also approve of the quality of the material.

On the morning of the 23rd I decided to split up and sent Teji back to Lahore to follow up the supply of stoves from India and to place the order for the tents, sleeping bags, more utensils, bamboo poles for the tents and to arrange transportation of the goods to Muzafarabad. The tent manufacturer had to have a bit more time and finally delivered at midnight. After the tents, Teji was loading the rest of the aid material until 2am.

The next day Teji drove to the Pakistan-India border to collect the stoves. He made sure that the truck was on its way and then caught a flight to Islamabad and then a car towards Muzafarabad.

I myself reached Muzafarabad at about 6pm and walked straight over to check the progress on the sanitation project. The builders had worked very hard. The toilets and washrooms were almost half way to towards completion. My welcome in the camp was amazing. Almost everyone came to greet the SARDAR JI in a very warm way. My first night in Muzafarabad was an eye opener. It was freezing at night. I thought about the poor people stuck in the villages and how they must be without any shelter. I was in a tent with a quilt and still freezing.

The next day I visited a couple of more camps to check on the sanitation situation. There were a lot of people in the town who would run to see a body being recovered. I was asked many times but refused as I wasn't interested in degrading the unfortunate dead person. But on my way back from one of the camps a group of soldiers layed a body right in front of our car on the road. It was a terrible sight. The body was falling apart and hardly in any recognisible state to see if it was a male or female. The smell was sickening. The doctors told us how in some cases the bodies were partly trapped under heavy rubble and coundn't be pulled out so they just surgically cut the part they could and left the remainder buried until lifting machinary arrived in the coming days or weeks.

Teji arrived in the afternoon and the truck from Lahore laden with our relief material arrived a few hours later. The truck was unloaded and accounted for. There were many people with bleeding feet and swollen legs who had walked across mountains and kept arriving all evening and night. It's heart rendering.

Ravinder Singh