PURCHASE, N.Y., July 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo Foundation provided a $700,000 grant to the American Pakistan Foundation to develop and execute a year-long flood recovery and rehabilitation program for the most devastated regions of Pakistan. The grant is part of a broader PepsiCo Foundation commitment to disaster-relief in Pakistan that has so far totaled $1,000,000.
PepsiCo Foundation's grant has supported and enabled the American Pakistan Foundation (APF) to work with non-government organizations in Pakistan to leverage their expertise in addressing some of the country's most significant recovery challenges after last year's torrential rains and mass flooding. These efforts have focused on improving the infrastructure of damaged schools, supporting livelihoods through livestock programs, and building water and irrigation micro-infrastructure.
"The floods last year left severe and serious challenges for Pakistan, and we hope that this multi-faceted approach to recovery and rehabilitation will assist communities that are still recovering from this disaster," said Umran Beba, President, Asia Pacific Region, PepsiCo. "PepsiCo Foundation, the American Pakistan Foundation and all of the humanitarian agencies involved, are working closely together to build programs that are helpful, impactful and sustainable over the long-term."
"The American Pakistan Foundation's grant from PepsiCo Foundation has enabled us to address immediate needs in re-building Pakistan after the floods last year," said Awais Khan, CEO, American Pakistan Foundation. "PepsiCo Foundation's support at a time of immense need is a testament to their commitment to Pakistan, and APF is proud to work with our partners to further our mission of supporting Pakistan's long-term development."
APF leveraged its partner networks in Pakistan and worked closely with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to conduct a needs assessment, identify the most critical issues being faced by the worst affected populations and determine gaps in relief work being conducted. Four organizations were chosen as partners on the ground in Pakistan to implement the recovery and rehabilitation program. These partners are the Rural Support Programmes Network, Relief International, Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee.
Some of the highlights of the program, which will impact over 29,000 lives, are as follows:
Education
In collaboration with the International Rescue Committee and Save The Children, the program is supporting the rebuilding of local schools in the Jhal Magsi district of Balochistan and the Nowshera and Charsadda districts of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. The focus of the program is on school repairs, teacher training, education kits for classrooms and engaging parents and children in a back-to-school campaign. It is expected that upon completion of the project, over 1,600 children in Balochistan, half of whom will be girls, will have access to a safe and enabling educational environment.
"A year after the unprecedented and devastating floods in Pakistan, many children remain out of school. Save the Children has learned that the best way to help children in crisis is to get them back in school where they can resume a normal routine among their peers and continue their learning," said Charles MacCormack, President & CEO of Save the Children. "The donation will be used to improve and repair damaged schools, train teachers, organize parent-teacher associations, boost school enrollment and supply much-needed school materials."
"This project will have a direct and profound impact on the lives of schoolchildren in Pakistan," added Tammy Hasselfeldt, IRC Country Director for Pakistan. "Over the next year, we will provide teacher training, ensure a clean and safe learning environment, and promote engagement on the part of parents, so that students will once again be able to focus on learning and growing. I'm confident Pakistan will reap the many benefits of this grant for years to come."
Livestock and Livelihoods
Livestock are critical to the economic well-being of rural communities. Through the programs' support, Relief International's Rapid Livelihoods Rebuilding via Livestock Program will benefit 650 families by replacing their lost livestock and establishing channels to make veterinarian services more accessible in the Nowshera region, thus providing sustainable livelihoods to communities in the KP province.
"We are grateful for the opportunity to bring hope to more families through this partnership as we deliver livestock to the neediest, landless families throughout the region," said Farshad Rastegar, President & CEO of Relief International. "By focusing on restoring the livelihood of these communities, PepsiCo Foundation and APF have shown strategic vision and commitment to create real economic opportunity for those who need it most."
Water Infrastructure
In order to assist with the rebuilding of micro-infrastructure for basic access to water and crop irrigation which was damaged by the floods, the program is supporting the Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) in the Swat, Kohistan and Shangla districts of the KP province to rebuild irrigation systems, including dykes, embankments and water channels. Through the community organization initiatives of the Sarhad Rural Support Programme, a part of the Rural Support Programmes Network, over 3,600 families in the region will benefit from access to clean drinking water and irrigation solutions.
"Working in partnership with local communities in Swat means not only giving them a basic service; it also means building amongst them trust and hope after the fear and insecurity they have been put through," said Shandana Khan, CEO RSPN.
The massive floods that occurred in Pakistan in 2010 were the worst in the country's history. They covered one-fifth of the land and affected over twenty million people, leaving thousands dead and millions struggling to rebuild their homes and villages. Roads, bridges, crops and livestock were washed away, severely damaging critical services such as education, healthcare, sanitation, water infrastructure and agriculture.
About PepsiCo Foundation
Established in 1962, PepsiCo Foundation is the philanthropic anchor of PepsiCo, responsible for providing charitable contributions to eligible non-profit organizations. The Foundation is committed to developing sustainable partnerships and programs in underserved regions that provide opportunities for improved health, environment and education. For more information, visit: http://www.pepsico.com/Purpose/PepsiCo-Foundation.aspx.
About the American Pakistan Foundation
The American Pakistan Foundation (APF) seeks to effectively catalyze long term economic development and social change in Pakistan by engaging the Pakistani-American Diaspora and building partnerships with key stakeholders in Pakistan. APF identifies and supports credible and scalable socio-economic initiatives by collaborating with partners on the ground in Pakistan, and by mobilizing intellectual and financial resources towards these programs. APF offers a secure and transparent channel for charitable giving and is a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. For more information please visit www.americanpakistan.org.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales each. Our main businesses -- Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, and Pepsi Cola -- also make hundreds of other enjoyable foods and beverages that are respected household names throughout the world. With net revenues of approximately $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment, including by conserving energy and water usage, and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support, and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.
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