Credit - Chowrangi

There is a very serious military offensive in the northern areas of Pakistan [Swat, Dir, Buner and adjacent locations] the offensive is to uproot the terrorists from the region but innocent Pakistani are suffering and are actually being displaced out fo that region migrating to safer regions like Mardan, Charsadda and Peshawar. They are fellow Pakistanis and they need our help

With an expected 500,000 people to be displaced from their residence, Swat Crisis is being termed as largest humanitarian and displacement crisis in recent times. Whether we support the military operation or not, these Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) need our help.

There could be other ways how we all can help make thier suffering a little less - share you ideas but at the same time this is an appeal to all individuals, organizations, charities and NGOs in general and nationals of Pakistan in particular, whether resident or expat, to come forward and help by extending financial, technical and moral support to hundreds of thousands, feared to be displaced in Swat Crisis. If nothing else, please spread the word.

How you can help:

Besides sending cash through below mentioned charity organizations, you can support by providing following commodities. Please do not donate old/expired stuff. Make sure edible items are hygienic and properly packed.

• Clothing: Clothes of various sizes, Beddings, Shoes
• Utensils: Jerricans (large plastic cans that hold 20 liters of water or other liquids), Crockery, Buckets
• Toiletries: Tissues, Soaps, Dettol (antibacterial cleaners), Towels
• Food: Rice, Sugar, Flour (Atta), Onions, Potatoes, Cooking oil, Tea, Milk (tetra packs or powder), Safe drinking water, Cooked Food

Medicines:

1. Water purification tablets.
2. Life saving drugs.
3. Vaccines for malaria, cholera, typhoid, influenza.
4. Pain killers including strong ones like morphine derivatives, tremadol, pethadine, kinz .
5. Antibiotics e.g. tetnus, amoxil, gentamycin.
6. IV cannulas
7. IV Drip sets
8. IV drips: normal saline, ringerlactate
9. Local anesthetics (injections)
10. Cotton bandages, cotton.
11. Surgical instruments: e.g needle holders, forceps, tweezers.
12. Suturing materials, Skin staples.

Charity Organizations in Pakistan:

• Al-Khidmat Foundation: Donate here.
• Edhi Foundation: Donate here.
• SUNGI: Who to contact [link], where to donate [link].

International Charity Organizations:

• Oxfam - GB
• Plan International
• International Medical Corps
• The International Rescue Committee (IRC)
• Church World Service

More Resources:

FaceBook: IDPs from NWFP need us

Credit- Chowrangi | Facebook | PkPolitics

 Amrita and Kevin are getting married this summer in India, but before they head off …they wanted to get some casual portraits done in Ottawa.  Amrita and Kevin are such a sweet couple and you can really feel the love between them just by the way they look at each other.  They are super sweet and super gorgeous. I can’t wait to see their wedding pictures..I know they’ll make a stunning bride and groom. 

Amrita and I had been bouncing ideas off each other about the location, the clothes, the look, etc. and we decided on splitting the session and doing a more formal set in the first half and a casual set in the second half.  Amrita also wanted to include her sister and some of her close friends in the casual portraits which I thought would be a fantastic idea.  So we headed over to the ‘Garden of the Provinces’ and by chance we managed to get that window of good weather and sunshine..it had been pouring all morning and as soon as we finished it started pouring again.  Luck was definitely on our side!   The Garden of the Provinces is such a beautiful park, it’s got so many details and featuers which we managed to incorporate in the shots.  and the fact that the tulips were just blooming was an added bonus! 

So enjoy these shots and let me know what you think.  

I love this last shot..there’s just something so comforting about this picture…it’s like you know that there’s something special in their friendship.