The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has granted over US$65,000 to provide food, medication, cattle and livestock provisions, and fruit plants to aid over 10,000 persons affected by the country’s recent internal conflicts, which have displaced over 650,000 people. (World Food Programme, July 2009)

Thousands of families were displaced in May and June of this year due to the escalation of conflict between the Pakistani Army and the Taliban. Now they have returned to their homes to find waterways destroyed, crops and livestock gone, and no seeds to plant for the next harvest.

TPRF has given a US$30,000 grant to Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre to provide food and medication. In the village of Kahzano Dheri, Marden, 2,600 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) will receive rice, beans, rice tea, and oil for one month. In the IDP camps in Kachi Garhi, Peshawer, in the Swabi and Buner districts, 5,000 women will receive medication and supplements for two months.

A second grant of US$36,800 was made to ActionAid International USA to provide long-term food security and livelihood rehabilitation. Nearly 3,000 people returning to their devastated homes in three areas of the Buner district, North West Frontier Province, will receive seeds to replant their destroyed crops, construction and rehabilitation of reservoirs for crop irrigation, livestock, and fruit plants to help them rebuild their lives.

Both foundations expressed their appreciation. Dr. Saman Yazdani Khan, Regional Director for Shirkat Gah, states, “[Shirkat Gah] is delighted that The Prem Rawat Foundation has been able to respond quickly to its appeal to help the IDPs and assist its effort in providing much-needed relief. It will ease the discomfort and desolation of their unwelcome situation.” Peter O’Driscoll, Executive Director for ActionAid, said, “This work is powerful. And, without your support, it would not be possible. Thank you.”

Photos courtesy of ActionAid and Shirkat Gah.