In the mist of celebrations and preparations for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Pakistanis’ all over the world have been shaken by the devastating toll the massive flood has taken on their ancestor’s land. Although governments and federations such as the United Nations have been disappointingly slow in taking action to prevent the already high death toll from rising, a remarkable effort has been shown on part of the citizens of Canada. Facebook, being the leading social networking site, has become a portal of humanity, helping ordinary citizens and residents of Canada to create fundraisers, emergency aid drives, donation centres and more.
Dozens of groups, event pages, messages and posts have been sent out by individuals with no prior affiliation with charity work as a desperate act to save the unfortunate victims of the floods in Pakistan. From setting up and organizing drop-off locations for used clothing, tents, and food items, to creating t-shirts with catchy phrases such as “iPray” to appeal to the youth of our community as a means of fundraising, amazing efforts have been shown on their parts.
The youth, of not only the Islamic and Pakistani community, but all youth from different backgrounds, schools, and cities came together to vouch for a united cause. United South Asians @ York (USAY), Hindu Students Council, Pakistan Student Associations of different universities have come together to gather supplies. One Facebook group is selling T-shirts to raise funds for flood victims.
Strangers become partners on Facebook, monitoring donation drop-off locations in their areas. The locations stretch all across the GTA, in major cities such as Milton, Mississauga, Brampton, Toronto and more.
TENTS FROM TORONTO is a Facebook that has been started by a Pakistani woman named Asma Mahmood in efforts of providing much needed shelter to the estimated 20 million Pakistani’s which were left homeless as a result of the disaster. Other efforts where shown by University students, who decided to collect clothing personally from door to door, and even offered their homes as drop-off locations.
The response they received has been overwhelming. Hundreds of people have responded to their requests and put forward generous monetary donations, as well as other goods which are desperately needed.
If you have not yet donated to this very worthy cause, or would like to make more donations, they can still be made. PIA has announced that they will be taking donations such as canned food items and medication to Pakistan every Tuesday. For further information please visit one of the Facebook groups which have been created for this cause and please donate generously.
