- Over a million dollars have been generated by communities on multiple Meta-owned sites.
- The contribution will help students in Sindh, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan return to school.
- The funds will be used to renovate schools, provide cleanliness and health with dignity kits, and support life skills programs.
The parent company of Facebook, Meta, announced on Wednesday that it would provide Rs125 million to UNICEF, Hands, and Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) to aid communities affected by the floods in Pakistan.
The contribution will help students in Sindh, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan return to school while also supporting emergency aid, food, water, and sanitation.
When the flooding started prior to the donation, Facebook’s Safety Check tool was activated, enabling users to notify friends and family that they were safe.
Additionally, a crisis page was created where individuals may utilize the Community Help function to solicit 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 donations, and we are thinking about these families and towns as they work to rebuild,” said Jordi Fornies, Director for Emerging Markets, Asia-Pacific at Meta.
Furthermore, Meta’s “Data for Good” initiative started its Disaster Maps program 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.
The President and CEO of UNICEF USA, Michael J. Nyenhuis, expressed his gratitude to Meta for all of the assistance.
“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.”
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.
Baela Raza Jamil, CEO of ITA, commented on the news, saying, “We will renovate schools, guarantee 2nd Chance Accelerated learning programs with life skills (psychosocial support, climate change, and digital literacy), and provide cleanliness and health with dignity kits.”
“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 endeavors.
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