Aman Doctor receives Acumen Award
Acumen Fund, a non-profit global venture fund dedicated to solve issues of global poverty via entrepreneurial approaches, organised a gathering in Karachi to recognise efforts of individuals who played an exemplary role during flood relief efforts. Dr. Naveed, Station Supervisor, was nominated from Aman Foundation for his tireless efforts and dedication during the Foundation’s relief exercise.
The 2010 Pakistan floods began in July 2010 following heavy monsoon rains in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan regions of Pakistan and affected the Indus River basin. At one point, approximately one-fifth of Pakistan’s total land area was underwater. According to Pakistani government data the floods directly affected about 20 million people, mostly by destruction of property, livelihood and infrastructure, with a death toll of close to 2,000. The number of individuals affected by the flooding exceeds the combined total of individuals affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
When Dr Naveed joined the Aman Foundation two years ago, little did he know that he’d be supervising a team of doctors during the worst humanitarian crisis to hit the country. According to him it was the suffering of the people that motivated him to stay and give his best in the hardest of conditions that he and his team mates encountered.
With no set time to eat or sleep, working hours extended to the wee hours of the morning, Dr Naveed who had experienced the hardships of the earthquake victims in 2005, where he rendered his services as a volunteer, was aware since the beginning of what he was stepping into. He believes that his experience and knowledge while working with earthquake victims helped greatly while managing his teams in Thatta and Makli, where at times patient strength surpassed 700 people a day. Keeping the team motivated was a daunting task, he reveals, however, given the circumstances everyone was eager to give their best.