Press Releases 2007
Charge d’Affaires Bodde Witnesses Ground-Breaking Ceremonies For Two Schools, Healthcare Facility In Quake-hit Areas
05/24/2007
Islamabad – U.S. Charge d’Affaires, Peter Bodde, along with ERRA’s Deputy Chairman, Lt. Gen Nadeem Ahmad, today visited the quake-hit Chatter Plain and Kathai in the NWFP and Saran in Azad Jammu and Kashmir to perform the ground-breaking ceremony of two high schools and one healthcare facility.
“It is through the generosity of the American people – businesses and private citizens alike – that allows us to celebrate this moment together,” the senior American diplomat said while speaking at the ground-breaking events at Government Boys High School in Chatter, a Basic Health Unit in Kathai and the Government Girls High School in Saran.
Peter Bodde said that the resources provided to build these facilities came from the South Asian Earthquake Relief Fund (SAERF), which was formed when five distinguished business leaders, supported by President Bush, launched a nationwide effort to encourage private donations for relief and reconstruction.
“This grant compliments the U.S. government’s four-year, $200 million program to rebuild schools and clinics, train teachers and healthcare workers and restore livelihoods,” Peter Bodde said.
In total, over $110 million was raised in donations from the U.S. corporations and private citizens. Of this amount, $20 million was raised by SAERA and committed to the NGO community to support humanitarian aid and early recovery programs, he added.
The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) formed the South Asian Earthquake Relief Fund (SAERF) in response to the devastating earthquake that struck Pakistan on 8 October, 2005. The fund has collected and committed $20m to several organizations working in the affected areas.
The U.S. $12 million PPAF/CECP partnership is aimed at reconstruction of 14 government health and education facilities in earthquake affected areas on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.
Charge d’Affaires Bodde and Lt. Gen. Nadeem also visited Chakothi to observe two already existing schools and one healthcare facility, constructed by Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF).