To aid communities affected by the tragic floods in Pakistan, Meta is donating 125 million rupees to UNICEF, Hands, and Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA). The money will help with emergency relief, food, water, sanitation, and helping kids in Sindh, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan return to school.
Safety Check was active on Facebook prior to the contribution when the floods started since it allowed users to notify friends and family that they were safe. Additionally, a crisis page was created where individuals may utilise the Community Help function to seek and provide assistance from other communities.
One of the worst natural disasters we have ever witnessed is currently occurring in Pakistan. The entire country is coming together to support the millions of people who are impacted during this trying time. We hope that the people affected by the disaster can benefit from our efforts, and we are thinking about these families and towns as they work to recover, said Jordi Fornies, Director for Emerging Markets, APAC at Meta.
Furthermore, Meta’s “Data for Good” initiative started its Disaster Maps programme and is currently supplying information to local response partners. One of those partners, CrisisReady (a Direct Relief and Harvard University partnership), has concentrated on merging data sources into situation reports that are used every day by thousands of first responders on the ground.
Millions of people, including children, have been severely impacted by the relentless monsoon rains over the past few weeks, which have severely damaged or entirely washed away people’s homes. We urgently need assistance to continue our relief work in Pakistan and support for children and their families as winter approaches in various areas of the nation in the coming weeks.
The President and CEO of UNICEF USA, Michael J. Nyenhuis, expressed his gratitude to Meta for all of the assistance. Over a million dollars have been generated by communities on multiple Meta-owned sites for charities supporting flood relief efforts. Leading NGOs from all across the world have also successfully raised significant funds using Facebook and Instagram.
CEO of ITA, Baela Raza Jamil, commented on the development,
Schools will be renovated, 2nd Chance Accelerated Learning programmes with life skills (psychosocial support, climate change, and digital literacy) will be provided, and cleanliness and health with dignity kits will be made available. By addressing homes, communities, schools, parents, kids, and especially adolescent girls and teachers entrenched inside government institutions for effective emergency response and preparedness, this is a complete and inclusive strategy to #BuildingBackBetter.
Meta is constantly looking into new ways to help not just families in the damaged areas, but also NGOs and other causes in their endeavours.