“We are blessed: We are blessed because we are able to give the blessings we have to other fellow human beings: It is really truly a blessing to extend hand of friendship to your neighbors, to the people across the country, and to the humanity across the globe.” These were the inspiring words of Honorable Alexander Green (D), who has been serving in the Congress as the Representative for Texas’s 9thcongressional district since 2005. He was speaking at the sending off ceremony of the Second 40-feet container of gifts from the people of Houston, Texas, USA to the people distressed people of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan of Aug-Sept, 2020.
During his speech, Congressman AL Green went to the tables, where sample of the items were on display that have been sent in the Container. He was impressed by the nice shoes, and the high quality brand new winter jackets.
“Seeing these high quality brand new gifts being sent to Karachi, this is the true spirt of giving that one gives the best to those in dire needed,” added Congressperson AL Green.
For these two 40 feet containers, the entities that have participated include the Consulate General of Pakistan Houston, Houston Karachi Sister City Association (HKSCA), Alliance For Disaster Relief Houston (AFDR), Pakistan Students Association of University of Houston (PSA U-of-H), University of Karachi Alumni Association of Houston, Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD / Helping Hand USA), House of Charity, Sana Trust, and several community donors & volunteers.
Coordinator and emcee of these two sending off ceremonies of Containers of Gifts from Houston to Karachi has been Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, President of AFDR & HKSCA. Others, who spoke at this occasion were Counsel General of Pakistan in Houston Honorable Abrar Hashmi;Honorable Council Member of City of Stafford Alice Chen; Assistant Regional Manager of Helping Hand USA Sobia Siddiqui, and Director of Programs of HHRD iLyas Hasan Choudry.
The ever true Houstonians spirit has been seen during the past few months (September till December 2020), when under a joint effort, several community organizations and volunteers have come together to send support to the people of Pakistan, who have been suffering during & after the 89 years historic rains & floods of Aug-Sept-2020.
Highlights of these efforts have been these TWO 40-feet Container of brand new gifts sent out to Karachi in November and December 2020 from the Houston warehouse of one of the collaborative partners “Helping Hand USA”. Items include brand new winter jackets, comforters, shoes, socks, clothes, umbrellas, toys, and much more.
The first container of brand new items left the Port of Houston on November 26, 2020, while this second one will leave on December 17, 2020. These items will be gifted to 12,000+ suffering people of Karachi at a special occasion called “Malls of Humanity” sometimes in January 2021, when the winter season will be at its peak.
As is known that Houston, Texas, USA became Sister City of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan in 2009. Since then Houstonians under the banner of the Houston Karachi Sister City Association (HKSCA) have participated in several trade, education, and humanitarian initiatives for the people of Karachi.
“It has become incumbent upon people of Houston being the Sister City to assist the people of Karachi, who have been hit badly by COVID-19 and then the 89 years old historic floods: All the collaborative organizations of these two Brand New Items 40-Feet Containers to Karachi Pakistan for the Floods Victims want to convey their heartfelt thanks to all donors, who have given such wonderful & most useful items for the suffering humanity in Karachi: Special thanks to Patron-in-Chief Syed Javaid Anwar of Midland, Texas,” said Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, Coordinator in Chief of AFDR and President of HKSCA.
“I feel proud to be part of Houstonians efforts during COVID-19 to take care of suffering people in Houston, other places in USA, Pakistan, & other parts of the world: It is heartwarming to see that second 40-feet container of gifts brand new gifts is being sent to the people of Karachi, who have been twice hardest hit, once by the on-going COVID-19 & then the historic floods,” said Counsel General of Pakistan in Houston Honorable Abrar Hashmi.
Earlier as part of these efforts, on behalf of the Houston Community, the University Of Karachi Alumni Houston sent cash donations to their volunteers in Karachi to distribute relief items to the people suffering from Floods.
Also AFDR and HKSCA sent cash donation support to the people of Karachi, Dadu, and Umarkot in Sindh through US Top 4-Star Charity NGO Helping Hand for Relief and Development.
HHRD provided help to over 100,000 persons to Super Floods victims in Pakistan; out of whom 10,000 persons have been supported through the Giving of Syed Javaid Anwar of Midland Energy (Patron-in-Chief of AFDR & HKSCA). This support was given through hot meals with clean bottled water, 60+ free mobile healthcare clinics with medicines, and grocery distributions.
On the long run as there is immense need of clean water, especially with COVID-19 on the rise, Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Systems will be installed in 14 locations of Karachi, and 2 in Dadu (out of these three projects are sponsored through Syed Javaid Anwar, AFDR, and HKSCA).
Everyone present at the second 40-feet Container of Gifts sending off ceremony commended the untiring efforts of the collaborative partners & donors of this effort, and especially highly appreciated the hard-work of the young volunteers of Helping Hand USA and Students of Pakistan Student of Association of University of Houston.
Speaking on the occasion, Honorable Council Member of City of Stafford Alice Chen said: “This Year 2020 has been very challenging due to COVID-19: It is sad to know that people in Karachi are suffering by various calamities, like COVID-19 & historic floods: Confucius once said that the way we take care of our aging parents, we have to take care of aging parents of other people; & the way we love our children, we should love others children: And this way we can have a better, serene, & hopeful tomorrow.”
The In-Kind and cash donation drive was Generously Supported by Congressman Al Green, HKSCA Chief Patron S. Javaid Anwar and many Community members from Austin, Los Angles, Dallas which includes Tariq Majeed, Nomi Hussian, Omar Khawaja, Waqar Khan, SheraliHaiderali, Dr. Asad Qamar, Mahmood Marfani, IbneSina Foundation, S. Nadim Rizvi, Akhtar Abdullah, Shah Haleem, Javed Khan, Rehan Khan, Rauf Khan, JavedPaliwala and many others.
