I would like to take this opportunity to profoundly thank our donors namely UNFAO, USAID/OFDA, ECHO, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), ZOA International, Canadian Food Grains Bank (CFGB), Food for Hungry—USA, Samaritan’s Purse Canada, ICCO, DORCAS Aid, KIRK IN ACTIE and Woord en Daad for their generous assistance in sharing their resources with the disaster-stricken people of Pakistan. I am deeply indebted to all partners of I-LAP for demonstrating their complete trust, faith, and confidence in the capacity of I-LAP, its leadership and staff. I would also like to acknowledge the support of NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) PDMA (Provincial Disaster Management Authority), Provincial and District Coordination Offices, National Media and Members of the UN Clusters for coordinating and sharing the vital information regarding the needs of the affected population. I also recognize and greatly appreciate the efforts of our vendors and suppliers who delivered the relief goods on time in all three provinces and made sincere efforts to avoid delays, making it possible for the field teams to adhere to their distribution schedules and reach out to the destitute families in their hour of need.
I would also like to acknowledge the power of endurance that was exercised by the beneficiaries even after undergoing the devastation caused by the massive floods which were the biggest recorded natural disaster in the world’s history. I must salute the patience and tolerance displayed by these traumatized families after having lost their near and dear ones, their shelter, their personal belongings, their livestock, their means of livelihood, their standing crops and their valuable papers including land, property and personal identification documents. Children, women, elderly, disabled and people belonging to religious minorities suffered to a great extent during the tragedy. I highly appreciate the fact that I-LAP beneficiaries displayed the significant sense of responsibility throughout the intervention period by assisting field teams in the identification of the most affected families; assisting during distributions of relief packages and providing volunteer services to ensure timely and successful execution of all I-LAP interventions. Last but not the least, I would like to acknowledge the persistent, committed and devoted efforts of HAP field and support staff at the Head Office and Regional Offices. I, on behalf of myself and the I-LAP Staff, would like to pledge that we will accelerate our dedicated efforts to promote interfaith harmony and peace in Pakistan and in this regard, interfaith League Against Poverty has declared the year 2013 as the “Year of Peace & Harmony”. We invite you to join Interfaith Family to disseminate the message of Peace across the country.
Stay blessed,
Sajid Sandhu