Anyone else moved by the tragic plight of the families and children who are literally freezing to death in Pakistan?

Is it me - or have I not seen any appeals for blankets etc?

Anyone know of any? I have loads of stuff I could send.

And also - is there ANY aid getting to them? Only there doesn't seem to be anything done...

Hi ChloeH

It's an absolute tragedy, isn't it?  The Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) is co-ordinating a relief effort by various agencies and if you have a look at their website (sorry I can't do a link but am at work and don't have my idiot's guide to doing a link on this computer!) you can read what the various agencies are doing.  There's also a facility to make a cash donation, but I couldn't see anything about donating goods such as blankets.  However, it seems that despite this relief effort the people affected by the earthquake continue to suffer terribly and the attention of the world doesn't seem to be very well focussed on it :(

Despite our moans and groans, we really do have a good life in this country compared to the appalling suffering of others throughout the world.

Lesley

I saw it this morning and did shed a tear whilst getting dressed :(

The aid is out there but it is the logistics that seems to be the problem :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Those little tots with the poorly eyes and also little bare feet in freezing temps

Can you imagine how horrendous it must be for their parents and grandparents to watch the little ones suffering and be able to do nothing to alleviate it? How utterly helpless and broken hearted they must feel :(  How sad it is that humankind can arrange the logistics to put people into outer space and to wage war etc, but we can't get our act together to save people in the wake of a natural disaster, or alleviate hunger throughout the world, or arrange for everyone to have a proper shelter to live in and the means to support themselves.

Add to that the scant regard large chunks of humankind has for its environment or for the bounty of nature and its diversity and it can seem that we're in a truly wretched state as a species.

Sorry for the rant and being so downbeat, but it just seems that tragedy is overtaking the world :(

Lesley

Hi Chloe

They don't want people to send blankets but to make donations which can be made here : http://www.dec.org.uk/

Tara x

I spoke to a lady who works for the Red Cross (she was a nurse in British Army) who came home for her Mom's funeral last week, she flew in from Pakistan and she said her own words not the Red Cross's "Very little aid is getting through the politics/powers that be in the country keep the best and only "the things the others don't want gets through to the most needy which is very little."

Also that it is now almost impossible to get through to some of the outlying villages, and that hundreds if not thousands will die this winter. mostly the children and the elderly. And most of the ailments could be cured if a Doctor or aid could get through, coughs, colds, scabis, eye infections, cause the initial problems with the children then they go downhill, as they are unable to get any treatment. As they have very little warm clothing and tents that collapse when the snow settles and the adults and older children spend all their time just trying to keep the children/elderly/sick warm - with very little to no fuel, food, or shelter, or medicines.

She was very disheartened but I have to say she was also very matter of fact about it.

I have not spoken to her to 25 years prior to last week, as thats when she joined the Army to nurse and the conversation at her Mom's wake was heartbreaking. As she actually said her Mom died in the comfort and warmth of the hospital. Yet in Pakistan people are carried for days if not weeks in the cold by their usually also ailing families to get to an aid station but many die on route. And many when they do arrive are then past help.

Very very sad.

Just heartbreaking - I watched it on the News bulletin and wonderd why helicopters could'nt be used to drop off decent tents food etc.

At school the staff are doing a sponsored slim ( will also get rid of all the Christmas flab ) and the kids are doing a sponsored non - uniform day.

Yvonne

We wondered why helecopters were not dropping off supplies too.  Looks like they need shoes too.

You can understand why the relief agencies were trying their best to get them down off the mountains to relief camps before the winter started.  Most of them would not go.

I am amazed how much snow they get in Pakistan, I never knew they got any until this.

Sandra