Two sides to every coin

IKF organized a bonfire and soft closing of the New Seeds of Hope campaign. We ended up starting at 9.00 am and I didn't get home till about 9.00 pm. The event itself was scheduled for 5.30-7.30 pm, but with the typical desi standard time, things did not start when they were supposed to, as expected. So I spent pretty much all day at the Pukaar ghar in Gulberg. About 8 students and 2 teacher chaperones attended from all the schools in Lahore (around 60 schools).

 We took a little break to play a 6 person version of ludoo, but don't worry, we got right back to work!  

 Some of us working on posters

Aqib and Kareem setting up and hanging signs

 The bonfire before it collapsed a little

Some of the goals of the night were to thank the schools for their support and hard work, to announce the postponement of the cricket match till after the world cup due to security concerns and to show the students a documentary of the seed distribution so they could see what they had contributed towards and what their hard work had helped achieve. There was a lot of interaction throughout the night as our motivational speaker, Mr. Nasir Aziz from LUMS made sure to keep the kids really involved by asking them questions like what makes us strong, and brave and help our country. The kids shouted out their various answers like "our family, being confident, doing the right thing", etc. Some kids from each school came and shared their experience with trying to sell the booklets and raise funds and it brought a huge smile to my face to see so much hope in these kids. They ackowledge that they are the future generation and want to do better than their predecessors and want to see more for themselves and their country. They want to change the world and make a difference. The way these kids spoke about how much happiness they got from knowing they were helping their fellow country men really touched me. There really is hope after all.

At one of the other campaign events, students had been invited to do graffiti on the walls of the Pukaar ghar, with Pakistan as the theme in mind. Here is some of the art work they came up with to represent our country.

The kids were really excited about contributing and taking part in helping their fellow country members, and its wonderful to see them believe in who might be the only politician that isn't corrupt. Which unfortunately is both his strength and his weakness, because the system here won't let anyone that doesn't stoop to bribery win the elections. But maybe, with this newer generation, there is hope for real elections that aren't riddled with corruption and bribery. Until then, we can rely on the good people who make a difference without our government.

A bunch of us had gone to this local hole in the wall for a 'breakfast' of halwa puri around 11.00 am too. And on our way there, a bunch of us stuffed into cars as per the desi style of getting to places, I just thought about how amazing it was to be here. And the way I've been able to connect to people with lives completely different from my own, both with the Peace Corps and now here. I think volunteering, and I guess just having an obvious common goal, really brings people together. Although I was one of the only volunteers whereas the rest of the people I was with were actual staff members for the IKF. But we're all fighting for a cause. At one point in the day, I was getting work done faster than one of the guys I was working with and one of the team members commented, and my friend said "But sir, she's imported!" So from now on, whenever I get things done, everyone claims its because I'm imported hahah. It's kind of funny.

Once again, on the other side of the coin, there are negatives about my country. My aunt was telling me about how one of my cousins fellow students died in a car accident the other day. Apparently some of the bystanders decided to steal her purse and watch and money instead of helping. After the shooting the other day, same thing. Wallets and whatever money there was, phones; stolen. It's sad when people look for opportunity for themselves at every corner, in the bleakest of moments. I don't know whether to feel more disgust or pity for the people who are so desperate that their first thought is how to gain something for themselves out of someone else's misfortune.

Transforming lives

I was able meet some of the board members of the Imran Khan Foundation (IKF) a couple of weeks ago, and decided to officially begin an internship with them while I'm here.

http://www.imrankhanfoundation.org.pk/

I love this organization. The structure, their work, what they stand for. Transforming lives, thats the motto =) In recent times, they have shifted their focus specifically on the aftermath of the flood. Some of the current projects include a seed distribution program, the youth mobilization efforts, and village development plans.

Combining the New Seeds for Hope Campaign and the Youth Mobilization Program, the IKF is organizing an event using their sports platform. In the aftermath of the devastating floods in July 2010, IKF launched a Seed Donation Drive through schools across the country. School children are informed about the need to revive the livelihoods of farmers who had lost their standing crops along with their seed stock for the next season. This not only affects the farmers themselves but severely compromises the food security of the entire country. The children are given donation booklets, containing 10 coupons sold for Rs. 200 each. One donation booklet of Rs. 2000 buys a bag of wheat seeds that translates into 15000 pieces of roti.

While the biggest motivating factor was their contribution in ensuring the supply of bread for their countrymen, the participating children are given an extra motivation to sell the most booklets through the celebrity cricket match scheduled to take place in Lahore. The highest achievers, that is the children who sell the most booklets, will be able to serve as substitutes and actually play with the stars such as Imran Khan himself (playing after 18 years), Wasim Akram, etc. 

Which brings me to how I ended up driving to Lahore on Wednesday to help with the event planning. So I've spent the past couple of days at the IKF headquarters in Lahore, and I absolutely love it. I'm pretty darn sure that this is the organiation I want the funds from my non-profit bakery to go towards one day, iA. I attended an Organization Committee meeting for the cricket match where a lot of issues were discussed, including accreditation and sponsorship levels, etc. So right now, I'm working closely with some of the board members and the New Seeds for Hope campaign team.

On another note, since my short time in Pakistan so far, there has already been an assassination, 2 earthquakes, 2 bomb blasts and a shooting here in Lahore yesterday. Not cute =(

Api

Normally I really dislike the term 'Api', which is a respectful term for older sister in Urdu. I prefer to be called 'Baji' instead. But for some reason, when the Saba girls called me Api throughout the day, my heart melted. I spent Sunday with them, giving them the donated games and toys I organized at our house the other day. The smallest things made them smile and they said 'Thank you Api' every two seconds. Ok, I exaggerate, but you get my point. I then helped them with some of their homework, while the Apna TV station recorded the girls through different parts of their day. They decided to interview me as well, because they thought it was interesting that I'm here all the way from the states. I taught them how to play Go Fish, and then they insisted I read from an english story book before namaaz. It was hillarious because they wanted me to read it in English and then translate to Urdu, which I was having difficulty with which, one of the girls had no qualms about pointing out. Its an absolutely wonderful feeling to have these girls hug you and want to sit in your lap and ask you not to leave. But it makes me feel horrible when I walk away, because its almost worse to give them time and then leave them and not actually stay and make a substantial difference in their lives. So I feel guilty for just coming and going and not doing more.

This is our youngest girl, Qayanaat. I have yet to see her without an adorable shy smile on her face. She was wearing a veil and angel wings this day. So far I've only learnt the names of a few of the girls: Nida is oldest, Qayanaat the youngest, then there's Iqra (which I think is an absolutely beautiful name) and Rida. iA I'll learn the rest soon!

Pakistan Zindabad (Long Live Pakistan)

I never thought I would say this, but I could actually move back here. Maybe its because my heart falls in love and gets attached easily. Maybe its because I'm indecisive and easily influenced and sway depending on where I am. Maybe its because I tend to filter out the bad and like to see only the good in everything and everyone.

Driving through the streets of Pindi today, I saw Pakistan. The real Pakistan I was sheltered from growing up. I was priveleged enough to be born with parents that worked hard and gave me more than what they had growing up (which is what every parent strives for I think). And despite their attempts to make sure we knew our roots and keep us humble, we still never experienced Pakistan at the local level. At the level of the average person here. Today, as I sat and heard the stories of some of the girls at Saba Homes, I cried inside my heart. One of the 9 year old girls at the home was doing labor work before she was brought here. Her father, who obviously had some kind of psychological issues, locked her mother and all his kids except for her and one of her sisters in the house, and burned the house down before running off. On our way back into the city, there were boys holding onto the ends of mens shalwars with tears of exhaustion from begging all day. There were makeshift tents serving as 'permanent' homes. There in front of me were the statistics of poverty we read about in our development classes.

Pakistan might be polluted, corrupt, unsafe and terrorized, but even with all its flaws and unmanageability, its home. I love the flat rooftops with minarets poking through the smog filled sunsets. The obnoxiously colorful trucks with buffalo's sticking their heads (and butts) out the back that are like art on wheels. The long lines at the CNG station on Thursdays because theyre closed on Fridays and Saturdays. The smell in the air that can only be described as being Pakistan. But most of all, I love the people who manage to create smiles through all the despair. I love the people like Imran Khan and Saghir Uncle that give you hope and make you want to stay. The people who make a difference and make the world a better place. The ones who stand out against corruption and melt away the flaws of our society.

Trust vs. Home

It was winter break here last week, so thankfully when I went to the Home, the girls were there. I got to sit in on their Islamic Studies class where they were learning Dua-e-Qunoot, which is a verse from the Quran recited during one of our prayers. After that they learnt the equivalent of our biblical stories about Prophet Ibrahim. They were absolutely adorable, and since I was new they kept turning around to look at me curiously. And they smiled and laughed as though they were the happiest girls alive, all bundled up in their jackets and gloves. Gas isn't really available out in Pindi, especially nowadays with the load shedding. So there isn't really heating out there and its pretty darn cold =( Load shedding of both gas and electricity is a pretty big problem here right now, so cold showers and no heating has been sort of a norm lately.

So I got a chance to see the home, and the office for Saba Trust and get a much better understanding of how the organization works. Basically, Saba Trust is the umbrella organization with different projects, including their flood relief efforts, the Saba Homes orphanage for the girls, medicial clinics, bringing water supplies to villages, along with other relief efforts for those in poverty here. The organization is in the process of organizing a formal board, which I am helping with, especially with my training and experience with that in the Peace Corps. I am also working on grant research right now and will be working on applications once I find the places we want to apply to and gather all the information. I'll write about that in more detail at a later point. The trust has offices in Pindi, Karachi, Kuwait, California and now is trying to set something up in London too. I'm organizing an awareness dinner in Kuwait tentatively scheduled for April as well. So a lot of the work I'm doing is remote and from home actually.