Building Bridges. Opening Minds. Empowering Communities.
September 2022
A Resilient Relationship: U.S. and Pakistan Mark 75 Years of Friendship
APF Board member Kalsoom Lakhani (1st right ) along with leaders from, APPNA, Refugee girls worldwide and Citizens Foundation.
On September 26th, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken hosted an event to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations with Pakistan. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was among those at the State Department headquarters in Washington, D.C. Blinken celebrated those ties, noting that they were sometimes frayed but always enduring.

“This is a resilient relationship. It’s capable of overcoming challenges that we’ve had to confront,” said Blinken. “I am convinced that an even brighter future lies ahead, one that everyone in this room quite literally will be essential to realizing.”

APF Shines Bright at U.S. Department of State

Those in the room included representatives from Pakistani channels, NGOs, and prominent community organizations. Also in attendance were several board members from the American Pakistan Foundation. APF Board member Kalsoom Lakhani, Co-founder of i2i Ventures, an early stage venture capital fund for Pakistan and the country’s first female-founded VC fund, was a panelist in a discussion about ground realities in the aftermath of deadly floods.

“Given the devastation with the floods, there is just an inordinate and overwhelming amount to do, to give, to donate,” said Lakhani after the panel. “It can feel paralyzing but it’s also why APF decided to not reinvent the wheel and instead direct the Pakistani American community towards trusted organizations that are not only reputable at undertaking flood relief, but also leading initiatives that will help these communities rebuild and build resilience in the long term.”

In his remarks, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had also noted the need for such efforts.

“The opportunity in this crisis in Pakistan is that we must build back better, greener, more climate-resilient back home as well,” said Zardari referring to President Biden’s climate agenda.

“The irony of this is that Pakistan has contributed 0.8 percent to the global carbon output, but we are amongst the 10 most climate-stressed countries on the planet. And that’s why we look to you for assistance and support so we can get our people climate justice,” said Zardari addressing Blinken directly.

While there are great organizations that harness support from the American Pakistan diaspora to advance nation-building, APF’s mission, in particular, was one that was underscored in Blinken’s remarks.

“I think we also both believe deeply that at the heart of our relationship are our people-to-people ties. They continue to grow; they need to grow even stronger,” said Blinken.

To find out how you can support APF’s mission to build bridges, open minds, and empower communities in the United States and Pakistan, please visit www.americanpakistan.org
Fundraising for Flood Relief Efforts
Photo courtesy of The Citizens Foundation USA
On August 25th, the Pakistani government declared a national state of emergency due to dangerous floods that have killed over 1,500 people since June. After a series of heat waves earlier this summer, Pakistan experienced record increases in rain levels, especially in the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan. The residents of these areas have been forced to move due to significant property damage and endangerment of their safety, in total affecting more than 33 million people.

We recognize the hard work of the dedicated public servants, aid workers, and volunteers engaged in relief efforts. We are in touch with the following organizations who have started to provide relief directly to those affected by the floods. We encourage you to learn more about the work of these organizations, which are all registered as 501(c)(3) entities in the United States.

  • Since mid-July, CDRS has been delivering family food packs, bottled water, tents, and medicines to flood-affected areas. CDRS plans to open a large community kitchen, support mobile medical camps, and provide tents, mosquito nets, household items, and hygiene products. Donate to CDRS

  • The Citizens Foundation, USA (TCF-USA) has built over 250 schools and educated more than 65,000 children in Pakistan. It is currently distributing food ration bags to flood-affected communities in Sindh and opened up its schools to serve as shelter for displaced families. Donate to TCF-USA

  • DIL provides quality education to children living in underserved areas across Pakistan. The organization is currently distributing food rations to local communities and planning to rebuild affected schools and homes as soon as possible. Donate to DIL

  • Friends of Indus Hospital (FOIH) supports the efforts of Indus Hospital & Health Network in Pakistan to provide quality healthcare services to under-served patients in Pakistan. Indus Hospital has established mobile clinics and labs in flood-affected areas of Sindh, Baluchistan, Punjab, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Donate to FOIH

  • The Human Development Foundation (HDF) is a nonprofit organization that works to alleviate poverty in Pakistan by improving access to clean water, food, healthcare, and educational resources. They are currently conducting a Flood Emergency Appeal to rehabilitate victims of the ongoing crisis. Donate to HDF

  • The Paani Project is a nonprofit organization working to expand access to clean water in Pakistan. Originally founded by university students, the volunteer-led group is also working to distribute food and hygiene kits, as well as medical supplies. Donate to the Paani Project

  • Shine Humanity strengthens the primary healthcare system in Pakistan by promoting health literacy and access to health facilities. It has established nine emergency healthcare clinics based out of interior Sindh. In addition to offering the services of physicians, pharmacists, and nurses, the clinics will expand to provide food rations, malnutrition packets, and water purification tablets. Donate to Shine Humanity

We are humbled by the work of these organizations and the coming together of Pakistanis from all around the world to rise to the challenge. In the coming weeks, we will continue to collaborate with all engaged in relief efforts in Pakistan. We will also offer programming that educates the APF community about disaster response, humanitarian aid, and climate change issues in Pakistan.
Together, we will empower communities and build bridges.
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