Five Ways You Can Help Pakistan (and the Rest of Us)

The Pakistani people need our help. Here’s what we can do today, and how to reduce the number of future disasters.

by Sarah van Gelder, Yes! Magazine, Sept 1, 2010

In Pakistan, flood survivors line up for drinking water.Photo by Nicholas Brooks/Oxfam

As the world comes to terms with the mind-boggling scale of the tragedy in Pakistan, many Americans are asking what we can do to aid the flood victims.

Some may hesitate to contribute to flood relief because we associate Pakistan with qualities we don’t admire—nuclear proliferation, religious fundamentalism, the oppression of women, and a corrupt and powerful military. But the people of Pakistan are more likely to be the victims than the perpetrators of these problems, and above all else, they are fellow human beings in dire need.

So how can we distance ourselves from the qualities we don’t like while offering solidarity to the people of Pakistan?

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