Sports & seminars
Nazakat NGO has been diligently organizing a series of seminars and sports activities with the overarching goal of nurturing cross-cultural interactions and personal growth. Through insightful seminars, the NGO has facilitated meaningful dialogues between students, distinguished personalities, and experts from diverse fields. These seminars, such as the ones focused on cultural diversity, youth empowerment, and global citizenship, have proven to be effective platforms for addressing societal issues and fostering mutual understanding. Additionally, Nazakat NGO recognizes the vital role of sports in promoting teamwork, discipline, and physical well-being. The organization's sports activities, including the Cross-Cultural Sports Meet and Sports for Social Change events, have successfully brought together individuals from various backgrounds to engage in friendly competition while breaking down cultural barriers. Collectively, these initiatives have had a positive impact on participants, fostering greater cultural awareness, enhancing communication skills, and broadening perspectives on global matters. Nazakat NGO's dedication to promoting cross-cultural interactions and personal development is evident in the lasting friendships formed and the positive changes witnessed among attendees. As the NGO looks to the future, its commitment to expanding its reach, collaborating with educational institutions, and inviting international personalities promises to further contribute to a more inclusive and harmonious society.
RELIEF & REHABILITATION PROGRAMME FOR EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS
On October 8, 2005 morning, a terrible earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale with the epicenter at Rawalakot near Muzaffarabad struck northern Pakistan and also some part of our valley caused tremendous damage to life and property. Both Baramulla and Kupwara districts were worst affected as far as loss of property was concerned but tehsil Uri in Baramulla and Tangdar in Kupwara were worst hit in terms of both life and property.
The merciless earthquake left about 1500 dead (in Kashmir division), thousands injured and rendered millions homeless. NAZAKAT launched a program of relief and rehabilitation in the affected areas with an objective to alleviate human suffering and to rehabilitate the victims of the earthquake.
Most of the relief went to Tehsil Uri in Baramulla and Tangdar in Kupwara. In fact the proportion of devastation in other parts of Baramulla and Kupwara districts were the same as in Uri and Tangdar. Thousands of deaths were reported in these areas (Uri & Tangdar). Some areas like Chandoosa, Rafiabad of Baramulla district and tehsils of Kupwara district like Handwara, Kupwara and Sogam were almost ignored as these areas didn’t get media cover as that of Uri and Tangdar.
Almost every organization either government or NGOs were highly active in Uri and Tangdar and nobody was interested in working in these ignored parts of the valley. There are several reasons why some organizations ignored these areas;
In some areas only stronger people obtained more than enough relief while as old and infirm were unable to get anything. At several places the relief meant for inaccessible villages/hamlets were plundered on the main roads. There was not a proper and effective mechanism of relief distribution. Thus the proper distribution was a challenge for relief workers.
Considering the problem, there was a slight change in the relief distribution operation to achieve the objective of the programme. Although the strategy had some shortcomings like a little delay in distribution work, but the tactics worked well that is we were able to make proper distribution according to the survey carried out by our volunteers and relief workers. Also, this strategy required more manpower, space, care and above all risk of workers. The whole operation was carried in a systematic and hierarchical manner and the work was divided into four different stages.
In order to accomplish the objective more successfully and to reach the most deserving people, we engaged local people; technical/experienced hands from the local population were engaged in the operation as they had worked in these areas and possessed a complete picture of these areas like the topography etc. Along with these people a part of the NAZAKAT’s staff also joined the team while the rest were handling the purchasing and managing the things required to carry out the operation. The whole programme was directed by the Director of the NAZAKAT. There were three such teams stationed at three different locations; one in Kupwara district which took care of 3 tehsils of the district viz Handwara, Kupwara and Sogam, one in Chandoosa block of Tehsil Tangmarg which was looking after the areas of Chandoosa tehsil and other parts like Rafiabad and the third one at Kalgi Uri, the team served almost the whole of Uri except Kamalkoote area as there were many agencies working for these affected people.
The merciless earthquake left about 1500 dead (in Kashmir division), thousands injured and rendered millions homeless. NAZAKAT launched a program of relief and rehabilitation in the affected areas with an objective to alleviate human suffering and to rehabilitate the victims of the earthquake.
Most of the relief went to Tehsil Uri in Baramulla and Tangdar in Kupwara. In fact the proportion of devastation in other parts of Baramulla and Kupwara districts were the same as in Uri and Tangdar. Thousands of deaths were reported in these areas (Uri & Tangdar). Some areas like Chandoosa, Rafiabad of Baramulla district and tehsils of Kupwara district like Handwara, Kupwara and Sogam were almost ignored as these areas didn’t get media cover as that of Uri and Tangdar.
Almost every organization either government or NGOs were highly active in Uri and Tangdar and nobody was interested in working in these ignored parts of the valley. There are several reasons why some organizations ignored these areas;
- Lack of information regarding the destruction in these areas.
- Security reasons; these areas being security zones are highly restricted.
- Other reason would be comparison of loss of lives in these areas as the loss was almost negligible as compared to Uri and Tangdar.
- Most of the areas are non-accessible.
In some areas only stronger people obtained more than enough relief while as old and infirm were unable to get anything. At several places the relief meant for inaccessible villages/hamlets were plundered on the main roads. There was not a proper and effective mechanism of relief distribution. Thus the proper distribution was a challenge for relief workers.
Considering the problem, there was a slight change in the relief distribution operation to achieve the objective of the programme. Although the strategy had some shortcomings like a little delay in distribution work, but the tactics worked well that is we were able to make proper distribution according to the survey carried out by our volunteers and relief workers. Also, this strategy required more manpower, space, care and above all risk of workers. The whole operation was carried in a systematic and hierarchical manner and the work was divided into four different stages.
In order to accomplish the objective more successfully and to reach the most deserving people, we engaged local people; technical/experienced hands from the local population were engaged in the operation as they had worked in these areas and possessed a complete picture of these areas like the topography etc. Along with these people a part of the NAZAKAT’s staff also joined the team while the rest were handling the purchasing and managing the things required to carry out the operation. The whole programme was directed by the Director of the NAZAKAT. There were three such teams stationed at three different locations; one in Kupwara district which took care of 3 tehsils of the district viz Handwara, Kupwara and Sogam, one in Chandoosa block of Tehsil Tangmarg which was looking after the areas of Chandoosa tehsil and other parts like Rafiabad and the third one at Kalgi Uri, the team served almost the whole of Uri except Kamalkoote area as there were many agencies working for these affected people.
Assistance for rebuilding damaged houses
The NAZAKAT has also been providing assistance to poor people whose houses were damaged due to natural calamities like floods and fire. At several places like Kupwara and its adjoining areas 17 houses were rebuilt, 5 in Srinagar, 4 in Bandipora. Also relief in terms of utensils, edible items were provided to the refuges of the Khundru village of Anantnag which was evacuated after the army’s one of the biggest ammunition depot was destroyed. A small village in the same area comprising of 26 families of minority community were given relief like; shelter, food, medical care, clothes and utensils after they were moved to other places.
wular tragedy
Nazakat was the first organization that reached watlab (Wular) for rescue and relief of those children and affected family first. On May 30th 2006 it was a nightmarish experience for a group of 32 schoolchildren from Handwara, whose picnic to the Wular Lake in north Kashmir ended in the death of 17 persons, including 15 students. The tragedy struck when the naval boat they were riding in capsized near Watlab. The tragedy befell the boys and girls in the age group of seven and 14 years at about 5-20 p.m. today. Rescue teams of the police and security forces were still looking for any more survivors. The DIG, Police, Baramula-Kupwara range, Mr. A.S. Lone, said that 15 bodies of the students — five girls and eight boys — had been recovered. The bodies of a teacher and peon were also recovered. The students from a private school, Brain Candle Public School, Handwara, in Kupwara district of north Kashmir, had come on a day’s excursion to the famous Wular Lake in the adjacent Baramulla district. The accident spot of Watlab is located between Sopore and Bandipore towns of Baramulla district. A request for a boat ride by the children was made to the officers concerned of the security forces, who allowed the students to ride the boat. The spokesman said the voyage was smooth till the boat started returning. Due to the excitement of the students moving from one side of the boat to the other side, the entire weight was shifted to one side that led to its capsize, the spokesman said. Nazakat with volunteers reached there to rescue the children caught in the water & could only manage to carry these dead bodies to the concern police station and also accompany them till their funeral was made.