First of all I wish to thank Dr .David and Anita Christy for their humanitarian offer. From the recent devastations one can gather that Chitral will need huge amount for the rehabilitation work. No proper assessment of actual losses to public goods and private properties has been carried out so far, it would only be guesswork to say anything about the losses in monetary terms.

One option is to use NGO forum. There are established NGOs under the Aga Khan Development Network specializing in health, education, rural economic development, water and sanitation, planning and building services. These NGOs have the capacity to carry out professional assessment of losses and designing of projects in their respective sectors and the credibility to implement projects with participation of the beneficiaries. It is advisable to select one area depending upon the interest of the donor, ask the respective agency to carry out assessment of losses in that particular area and write a concept note, if approved the concerned agency may be asked to develop detailed proposal along with budget, implementation methodology, monitoring and reporting which will be implemented through the approved agency. In this approach there is the assurance that the money will reach the grassroot level to be spent by the beneficiaries themselves. This approach would ensure transparency, more work with less spending as there will be the element of community contribution as well.

The Aga Khan Rural Support Program specializing in rural development has long experience in Chitral of working through the community organizations such as Local Support Organizations (LSOs) for their economic development. Any economic rehabilitation or development project could be implemented through the forum of the LSOs. --Shah Karez, Chitral, 16 Aug 10.

Comment-2

Reference the subject under discussion, I fully agree with the suggestion of Shah Karez that NGOs especially AKDN can play a vital role if & when Aid is given to this flood affected District. Actually these NGOs have tremendously rich experience working at grossroot level with the communities of Chitral region. Under the supervision & guidance of AKDN, NGOs LSOs have already been established in whole of Chitral & Aga Khan Rural Support Program is trying to further strengthen these LSOs to approach the donor agencies for uplift of their concerned area. 

These NGOs have got their credibility  among the community due to the results of their direction, vision, how to plan for sustainable development in the coming era in the field of to improve the living standard, health, education & rural economic development & other field. I am sure that aid disbursement throguh AKDN NGOs can surely meet the criteria of donor agencies & people feel & see the real development work in their concerned area. Otherwise, no one can say that this aid can be utilised & given to the really deserving ones.
 
On behalf of whole Chitral community, I  thank Dr. David and Anita Christy for their generosity in their offer of aid in individual capacity. Thank you Dr. David and Anita Christy, for remembering & show your concern about Chitrali people, .--Mir Hussain, Chitral 18 Aug.10

Ref the subject, I appreciate the concern displayed by the Christy family towards sufferings of the people of Chitral and thank them for their concern. About the proposals by Shah Karez and Mir Hussain of handing over the money to NGOs for utilization, i have my reservations. 

NGOs are big organisations used to dealing with tons of money. The donated money is likely to be small as it is from a family. If given to NGOs a couple of thousand dollars will easily dissolve in their overhead expenses and may not totally benefit the directly affected.

I recommend the money instead of being dished out as cash be converted into something useful eg second hand warm clothing which should be distributed to the affectees through a small committee made up of honest and responsible individuals from amongst the civil society. --Bashir Hussain Azad, Chitral 19 Aug 10

Comment-4

Thanks a lot to Dr. David Christy and Anita. I totally agree Shakeraz Sahab that AKDN is one of the best plat forms which has been providing assistance to the people since years. I am not appreciating AKDN has  developed institutions at village level. These institutions have been formed in the shape of Village based male and female organizations and then Local support organization (LSO)

I am working as a Manager in Ayun and Valley Development Organization (LSO). Ayun valleys development Programme (AVDP) is established with the help of the communities of Ayun UC based on the successful experience of village Organizations, Cluster Organizations, in 2006 with an objective to be instrumental in the development of rural communities. It’s a Local Support Organization which aims at improving living standard of the local communities in general by targeting poorest of the poor in particular through intervention in social sector services and sustainable use of the local and natural resources.

For 101 village Organizations (52 Male Village organizations, 28 Women Organization and 21 Civil Society Organizations) have registered with AVDP. These Organizations are the real source of AVDP. Through these organization AVDP Implement its Agenda to bring changes in the Area.
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AVDP has been working in the area in partnership with other NGOs in the area. With help of Pakistan Red Crescent AVDP provided one moth food Items and some other non food items to the 21 affected house holds of Bumburate valley, while assessment of Rumboor valley is just completed submitted to government and non government agencies. For the infrastructure rehabilitation works AVDP has approached to Chitral Integrated Area Development Programme and restored Drinking water supply system of 550 house hold in Ayun. I will be pleased to submit assessment report of Kalasha Valleys of Bumburate and Rumboor.--Wazir Zada Kalash, Manager AVDP, 20 Aug 10.