Norwegian Red Cross fetching support of Pakistani community in Norway

Islamabad
The president of Norwegian Red Cross (NRC) Sven Mollekleiv, who is visiting Pakistan with a high-level delegation, Monday affirmed that the Norwegian government and people will continue to support their Pakistani brethren in humanitarian endeavors aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the most vulnerable.
Talking to the media after reaching Islamabad on a three-day visit, Mollekleiv appreciated the exemplary cooperation between the NRC and the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and hoped that it will further strengthen to provide maximum relief to people in need.
“NRC remained in the forefront in helping PRCS during major disasters in Pakistan, be it the earthquake of 2005 or the super floods of 2010. During 2010 to 2013, the NRC provided support to PRCS worth CHF 4,206,635.13 for emergency relief, health care and branch development at the district level,” Mollekleiv said.
The NRC is supporting the Sindh branch of PRCS in the establishment of two district branches in Jacobabad and Jamshoro, with a focus on basic health care, education, youth and volunteers development, water and sanitation and disaster risk reduction.
Terming Pakistan one of the most disaster prone countries in the world, Mollekleiv said, the country is experienced in dealing with disasters which have caused a heavy toll in terms of human and material losses. “These disasters acted as a catalyst and brought out a sea change in the way we managed them,” he added.
The NRC has an agreement with the Pakistani community in Norway for provision of information and awareness to the Pakistani community about its projects and activities in Pakistan. Mollekleiv said, the Pakistani community showed their full confidence in NRC, and that many Pakistanis in Norway are working as volunteers with it, “which reflects that to serve humanity, we all are one without any discrimination of race, religion, colour and creed.”
Mollekleiv said, one good example of strengthening relationship of PRCS and Nor Cross is that NRC invited Malala Yousafzai to the Nor Cross Headquarters in the recent past and students from Norway committed with a message that “All people have right to access to education.” He said, NRC is supporting PRCS vision to empower communities to take effective risk management and response actions. Community mobilisation will help to build viable community structures with adequate capacities, linked up with local authorities as active contributors to localized planning and management.
Mollekleiv added that Nor Cross will support PRCS in volunteering development in the form of trainings, sharing of experiences, and enlarging its volunteer base all over the country.