Swat Valley humanitarian disaster: In the early summer of this year an offensive by the Pakistan Army against the Taliban in the Swat Valley and surrounding areas resulted in over a million people fleeing their homes to try to escape the shelling, aerial bombardment, rocket attacks and small arms fire in the valleys and on the mountain sides where they lived.

Many walked for days through the mountains seeking help and shelter: some arrived at the camps set up by the Government and the the larger charities only to find them so overcrowded there was no place for them. So they continued on, some to the capital Islamabad where there was no provision for them.

Edinburgh Direct Aid's Maggie Tookey was in Islamabad returning from the handover of our clinic in Konkan to the local Dept of Health. Maggie took instant action, and with whatever funds were available from Edinburgh, set about finding accommodation and providing basic rations for hundreds of families.

This page shows a small part of the story

WaitingToHearFate.jpg Waiting to hear their fate
What's going to happen to us now? WhatWillHappenToUsNow.jpg
Telling What Happened.jpg Telling their stories
Rental agreement: Maggie signs up to pay the rent for some months ahead Rental Agreement.jpg
FlourForTheIDPs.jpg Rations: first delivery of flour
A welcome delivery of rice EDA Rice delivery.jpg

We hope that these hard-pressed people will soon be able to return to their homes. Meanwhile, EDA will, with your help, continue to support them. To make an online donation, click here.
or, send a cheque made out to "Edinburgh Direct Aid/Swat" to:
29 Starbank Rd., Edinburgh, EH5 3BY. Or, phone, 0131 5521545.

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