Update on Shelter Installation

Seeing families living in winter shelters gave us one of the greatest satisfactions in life and I am sure it would make the donors proud – It was a pleasure to see the efforts of all KEF volunteers turn into reality.

The work on fabrication of winter shelters and their installation in Rawalakot is continuing. We are pleased to say that our initial program of installing the shelters around Rawalakot has been expanded to cover the whole of Rawalakot District, althoughwe are limited to what we can supply due to lack of funds. Please bear in mind that there are 10,000 houses affected in Rawalakot District – and the best we will be able to do with the pledged funds will be 1000 shelters in the next 20 days, although we have capacity to install 3000.The breakthrough has come due to the Pakistan Army offering their men to take KEF shelters and install them in Rawalakot District – starting from the highest peaks and working their way downwards. In addition the Army is facilitating KEF efforts in Rawalpindi in a big way that has enabled us to increase our capacity to deliver 3000 Shelters.In and around Rawalakot 320 shelters have been supplied/installed and families (about 200) already taken refuge in them. They have made these their home for the time being as you will see in the attached photos.

Citizen Foundation has also pledged KEF 500 of their own shelters for Rawalakot area. In addition World Bank is talking to us to see how they can support us in this effort in the limited time we have after that would be silent deaths due to cold.