Holiday Campaign

Goal: $8000 (Received: $4000)

House for Saba's Family ($2500)

Saba is a 10-year-old girl who lost her father shortly after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.  Her 14-year-old brother is now working at a gas station attempting to support the family.  A widow with 6 children, her mother has no hope of remarrying and essentially no means of earning a livelihood.  Their one-room home in Mansehra is structurally unsafe; the walls are collapsing and large gaping holes to the outside make it impossible to keep warm in winter.

Saba and her mother in front of their crumbling home.  Two of her cousins are on the right.

House for Gul's Family ($2500) & PAKSBAB Training Course ($3000)

Gul Khan and his forefathers were tenants in the remote Alai Valley, Kohistan District, living at subsistence level.  He and his extended family lost their mud and stone houses in the recent earthquake.  Their landlord received financial disbursement from the government to rebuild, but passed little along to his 2000 tenants.  With the help of a loan, the family has been able to purchase land in Qalanderabad, north of Abbottabad, and free themselves from the exploitive feudal system.  A mason by profession, Gul initially volunteered to assist us on his own initiative and subsequently became a PAKSBAB trainee.  He is now employed as our hardworking and responsible Field Assistant.  Gul's family is currently living in a tent along with his sister's family and cousin's family, and desperately needs the warmth and security of a home.

Gul is on the right; his wife is wearing the orange scarf.  His brother Shafi, Shafi's wife and their combined children are also pictured.

Our Holiday Campaign goal is to raise funds to build houses (two rooms plus a kitchen and veranda) for Saba and Gul's families, and to hold a training course during the construction of Gul's house.  The floor plan and a similar finished straw bale house are shown below:

Please Donate this holiday season and help us provide housing for these needy families, as well as continue the training in appropriate building methods.  

Spread the goodwill and send a PAKSBAB Gift Certificate.