Did you notice bright orange coloured donation boxes over the past weekend? Over 40 volunteers were going from South Asian retail store to store in Mississauga, Brampton and Rexdale, Etobicoke area to seek permission from store owners to leave the donation boxes to raise funds for flood victims of Pakistan. These were volunteers for Hope for Pakistan campaign, a grassroots campaign that is trying to mobilize South Asian community to donate generously to help flood victims.
Volunteers
The campaign has been motivated by the Canadian government’s dollar-to-dollar matching commitment. “We were pleased with the federal government’s announcement and felt the responsibility to let others know in order to maximize its outcome,” said Sadia Qureshi, Hope for Pakistan’s Executive Associate Director.
Running until September 12, 2010, the last date by which donations will be matched, the campaign will drive donations through its website (hopeforpakistan.ca).
According to the 2006 Census, Pakistan is the third largest source country of newcomers to the Toronto area. Pakistan’s national language, Urdu, also experienced the largest growth in Canada of all non-official language mother tongues, from 87,000 in 2001 to 156,000 in 2006. South Asians also form Canada’s largest visible minority community. “We are confident that through a proactive approach, members of our local communities will come through, if even by donating a few dollars each. In Pakistan, one Canadian dollar can feed a family of four for one day so it is no understatement to say that your dollar will really go a long way,” said Qureshi. Key GTA-based media and businesses have committed to spreading the word and will be featured at hopeforpakistan.ca.
The Canadian public’s aid response has been far less than expected, even in light of the United Nations confirmation that the floods have affected more people than the Southeast Asian tsunami and the recent earthquakes in Kashmir and Haiti combined. This has been attributed, in part, to an image deficit facing Pakistan.
- Donate generously where you see these donation boxes
- Hope for Pakistan associate Director gives briefing to volunteers while holding Hope for Pakistan poster
- Hope for Pakistan team
“Given Canada’s outstanding reputation in providing international disaster relief, we were saddened by the Canadian public’s response to the floods. “Our team believes that this crisis begs to be seen through more of a humanitarian lens when the World Health Organization itself has concluded that there are at least six million people in need of life-saving assistance,” said Qureshi.
