Project : Kashmir Earthquake Relief Project

Dear Friends,

On October 8, 2005, at about 9.20 a.m IST, a devastating earthquake hit different parts of Jammu and Kashmir and neighbouring Pakistan, resulting in colossal loss of life and property. Since then, we have been witnessing the tragic wails and cries of the quake victims.

There are 137 worst-affected families in five villages - Dargad, Kamhama, Makama, Palpura and Badran - in the two districts of Kupwara and Badgam in Kashmir, where the survivors have lost all their possessions and have nothing to fall back on. It has begun snowing in the upper reaches of the region and so it is absolutely imperative that relief reaches them NOW, as any delay will mean that the bad weather will not permit relief from reaching in time.

In keeping with its tradition of reaching out to people in distress and responding to a crisis, Charkha Development Communication Network has planned a relief programme for the quake-hit families of these five villages in the districts of Kupwara and Badgam, and for this purpose, we have entrusted our local Coordinator, Mr.Hamraz.

Mr Hamraz, a resident of Kashmir who intimately knows the area, its people, their culture and language will be executing the programme by personally distributing relief material to each of the 137 families in these five villages.

Mr.Hamraz has intensively traveled to the quake-affected areas and based on our discussions and travel report by Mr.Hamraz, we know that the people there urgently need blankets, woollens, dry ration, shoes and socks to stay alive, before the weather becomes hostile because of heavy snow fall and the region is cut off from the mainland.

Charkha has planned a relief kit for the 137 families in the five villages, costing Rs. 5100 each.

Each kit per family will have:

Mr.Hamraz, our local coordinator, will purchase these items from the local shopkeeper, who has agreed to sell these at cost price. Then, Mr.Hamraz will prepare suitable packets for distributing to each family in time.

We earnestly appeal to send your donations at the earliest, as help must reach immediately, as any delay will hamper delivery of these life-saving materials on account of bad weather.

Please send your contribution towards Kashmir Earthquake Relief Project by Cheque / DD in favour of Charkha along with a covering letter,

Charkha Development Communication Network