Disaster preparedness: Trained volunteers needed

Speaking to the audience, President Mamnoon Hussain praises selflessness as the very spirit of volunteerism.

Being a disaster-prone country, Pakistan needs trained volunteers to cope with natural and man-made disasters, President Mamnoon Hussain said on Tuesday.

The president was addressing the award ceremony of International Volunteers Day organised by the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), said a press release.

Speaking to the audience, Hussain praised selflessness as the very spirit of volunteerism.

Over the last several decades, the Red Cross and Red Crescent societies have provided assistance to millions of vulnerable people of the world. The volunteers of PRCS have also contributed immensely during times of disasters, doing so with the singular aim of helping those in need, being the first to reach the scene of disaster and the last to leave, he lauded.



Hussain acknowledged that winning the International Volunteering Development Award from among 189 countries in 2011 speaks volumes about not only the leadership, guidance, grooming and training provided by the organization, but the amazing qualities that the Pakistani youth embody. When guided properly, our youth can achieve what the volunteers of PRCS have, and stand tall among the comity of the nations, he boasted.

Hussain complimented the entire staff, volunteers and management of PRCS on this occasion for their service to humanity, and assured the government’s continued support to the Society in their mission.

Speaking on the occasion, PRCS Chairman Major General (retd) Muhammad Nawaz Khan said, “Our volunteers form the backbone of the PRCS activities.  The Society has a committed base of 253,000 volunteers from every nook and corner of Pakistan, representing the communities that they live in; for this reason the PRCS has acceptability everywhere in Pakistan.”

PRCS volunteers have won laurels at international level and in 2011, PRCS was awarded the “International Volunteering Development Award” from among the 189 Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies. Furthermore, last year in 2013, in an International Competition titled “Youth on the Move”, a project proposal submitted on “Healthy Wealthy Pakistan” by a volunteer Ms Nazia Mazhar was adjudged as the best proposal from amongst 189 National Societies.

Over the past several decades, the capabilities achieved by PRCS in disaster management, health interventions, shelters, water and sanitation, psycho-social support, livelihoods and its responses to natural and man-made disasters, has been made possible with generous technical and financial support from movement partners such as International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Partner National Societies.

A shield and certificate were awarded by Hussain to Nazia Mazhar, the winner of International Youth on the Move Award as well as awards to other volunteers for best performance for different activities.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2014.