PGGA actively participating in quake relief efforts

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Girl Guides Association (PGGA) has initiated a number of activities for the relief and rehabilitation of the earthquake victims.
A senior official of PGGA, Mrs. Nazima Khan told APP here today that “the association has started the relief work immediately after the earthquake and took a number of measures for the relief of the victims”.
Pakistan Girl Guides Association initiated the relief work by setting up centers in all Guide Houses including National Headquarters Islamabad, she added.
She said that an appeal by National Commissioner was sent to all the provinces to collect necessary relief items and cash donations for the victims.
The National Headquarters, she said, launched aspecial campaign “Guides Render Service” by selling Rs. 10 tickets to raise funds for rehabilitation of families identified by local association.
Mrs. Nazima said that the Girl companies and members are collecting necessary relief , blankets, quilts, clothes, dry food items, water, and milk packed in small parcels for onward distribution to the victims.
She added that relief goods worth Rs. 2.5 million were sent for onward delivery to the earthquake stricken people through DCOs and Pakistan Boy Scouts Association.
Girl Guides members and Senior Guides of AJK, Sindh, Punjab and NWFP are directly taking some goods to affected districts of AJK and NWFP.
For immediate relief work in Islamabad Guide volunteers worked day and night at Margalla Towers and arranged supply of water, food and medicine and assisted in evacuation of injured and helped to take out their luggage from other towers which were badly damaged, she remarked.
Mrs. Nazima Khan said that a relief camp has also been set up at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences to provide voluntary services to patients.
Guides, Senior Guides, Leaders and trainers worked in female wards and helped paramedics in taking care of the patients. They provided medicines and looked after their foods and hygiene requirements.
An ambulance was arranged to take body of a young girl to Dheerkot.
Sehri and Iftar were also arranged for the relatives of the earthquake affected people, she remarked.
She said that PGGA National Relief Cell was formed at the National Headquarters, Islamabad comprising members from all provinces to coordinate relief work at provincial, Inter-Provincial and national levels.
The relief cell, she said is responsible for planning and implementing all relief activities.
Guides and leaders, she said, are giving voluntary services in various shifts at the camps and medical centers here at National Institute of Special Education, Community Center, G-9 Islamabad, Sports Complex, Poly Clinic, Islamabad, Medical Camp Melody and CMH Rawalpindi.
Mrs. Khan said that guide volunteers of ICT have been joined by Guides and Leaders, of Sindh Branch and are providing service in day and night shifts.
National Commissioner, National Secretary and members of the cell are coordinating with Federal Ministry of Social Welfare and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal in connection with relief work, she added.
She said that Pakistan Girl Guides Association National Headquarters has offered to establish Dar-ul-Shafqat for 50 destitute children of AJK at National Headquarters, Islamabad in collaboration with Ministry of Social Welfare and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal.
She added that a similar center for destitute children of NWFP will be established in Peshawar.
National Commissioner along with Members and Guides had also visited Rawalkot, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Mansehra and Balakot to assess the services required and to meet and sympathize with Guide Members affected by earthquake.—APP