Ruman (second from left) and his friends are sending aid to Pakistan

 

Pakistan Floods: UK Relatives Work to Help 'Homeland'
By Manish Pandey and Megan Lawton
UK

 

Images and stories of the catastrophic flooding in Pakistan have shocked people around the world. But for young Britons with family members facing the deluge caused by an unprecedented monsoon season, watching the disaster unfold takes on an extra resonance.

"We can't sit here and do nothing."

For 27-year-old Ruman Hussein, from Glasgow, there's a feeling of helplessness seeing his relatives affected by the floods in Pakistan.

"Some of their houses have been washed away. The water is so high, it's up to their shoulders so they've had to evacuate," he tells Radio 1 Newsbeat.

At least 1,136 people have been killed since June by what the UN is calling a "monsoon on steroids".

The UK's Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), made up of 15 UK charities, has  launched an urgent appeal  to help the millions in need as waters continue to rise.

Like Ruman, Ammara Javed has loved ones in the Sindh Province, one of the areas affected by the floods.

"There are neighbors, actual families with children who haven't eaten in days. They've seen entire bridges collapse and infrastructure destroyed," the 22-year-old from Swindon says.

While the DEC has launched an appeal of its own, Ruman and Ammara have been taking action to try and help dear ones in Pakistan.

Around 33 million people have been impacted, with damage to one million homes

Ammara has set up a fundraising page which she says has raised £500 so far, with donations going towards a relief camp and providing essentials such as food, water, clothes, and shelter.

Ruman calls the situation "upsetting" but has said something needs to be done. So, he has teamed up with his friends to fill up a 40ft (1,219cm) container with aid.

"The aim is by the time the container reaches Pakistan, the water levels will have come down," he says. "So, then camps are able to set up, and then this material can be used in camps for the vulnerable people."

Ammara says seeing the difficult images and hearing stories of those struggling in her "motherland" makes her feel guilty for being in a wealthier country.

At such a difficult time, she's turned to her Muslim faith to help.

"We have a teaching that says that all believers are like one body," she says.

"And when one part of the body hurts, then the entire body hurts. And I feel like the same can be applied to this situation."

Ruman is worried about his family's future because of the long-term impact the floods could have on the crops they depend on for money.

According to Pakistan's climate change minister more than a third of the country is completely submerged.

"For a developing country, this is a disaster, it sets them back even further back," Ruman says. - BBC