Von Thomas Schwarz.

The room is much too big for just one person. I  live here during my stay in Islamabad. When a Pakistani friend came to see me he said: “There would be room for more people.” He’s right.

These people have survived. They have been rescued by a boat from the flood. (Photo: CARE/Schwarz)

Thinking of the living conditions of those affected by the flood, I ask myself why I live in such a big room. I take some comfort in the thought that I travel a lot. Just to appease my guilty conscience.

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By Thomas Schwarz.

The Taliban help the victims of the floods and glorify this exploit. That’s what I read in the news.

That is the way most people in Punjab live now. (Photo: CARE/Schwarz)

Giving interviews Journalists ask me if it is correct that Islamic Taliban distribute relief goods and bless themselves for this help. I say, yes they do so. Of course they do. Everybody does, who do good deeds to others. However, is it really an important question at the moment? Should we really discuss this topic now? In my eyes: no!
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By Thomas Schwarz.

When we started early this morning from Islamabad, I didn’t exactly know what would be awaiting me in the region of Mardan.

There is still water in the streets and the victims are waiting for support. (Photo: CARE/ Schwarz)

I had seen many reports on TV, read the papers, listened to the radio and had spoken with my CARE colleagues. The whole weekend I had met UN representatives as well as other international humanitarian organisations.

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By Thomas Schwarz.

This week is a very special one in the flooded nation that is Pakistan. August 14 is the national Day of Independence.

Pakistan struggles against the flood. At the same time the Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan, starts. (Photo: CARE/Schwarz)

On August 14, 1947, the British colonial rulers granted independence to their former colony. At the same time as India, by the way. But on top of the national Day of Independence, Pakistan’s majority Muslim population will also begin the holy month of Ramadan this week, which includes praying and fasting.

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By Thomas Schwarz.

On a cable TV network I can watch the recorded world cup match between Germany and Uruguay. Football.

The TV shows football, the reality shows a disaster. Pakistan faces the worst floods since centuries. (Photo: CARE/Savawon)

It’s a draw right now. I switch to DAWN-TV, a Pakistani TV channel: Two anchormen talking about food support activities in their mother tongue Urdu.

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by Thomas Schwarz.

Every year, there is a „Teletón” in Chile, a big TV-show with loads of artists, celebrities and Chileans, who donate money. During a normal year this money would be donated for needy children and their parents. Critically ill people and the disabled could afford treatments which would be otherwise beyond their reach.

But this weekend the Teletón was all about the recent earthquake. True to the motto “Chileans help Chileans” the event raised more than 30 billion Chilean Pesos. That is just short of 60 million US-Dollars. (more…)

by Thomas Schwarz.

I spent yesterday morning going around Santiago de Chile with Roswitha. She has told me of a home for the elderly that has been ravaged by the earthquake. It is lead by Franciscans since the 90s and more than 150 years old.

The first floor can not be used any more, due to the effects of the quake. Some of the 60 inhabitants – all of them women – have to sleep in the corridors and the sisters moved out of their quarters to make room for the elderly. (more…)

by Thomas Schwarz

I was sitting down with Michael Raczynski, who is called „Don Miguel“ here in Chile. We were talking about all the things coming up in the next couple of days: his trip to the south of Chile with my colleague Axel Rottländer; the logistical question of where, when and what to buy. Axel is part of the emergency response team of CARE Germany-Luxembourg and an expert in managing disasters like the recent earthquakes here in Chile or Haiti.

And there is Roswitha sitting with us. At 72, she has already worked for the Fundacion Alemana para el Desarrollo, CARE’s partner in Chile, for 24 years. Tomorrow, she and I will visit a home for the elderly which was heavily damaged during the earthquake. Afterwards, we will visit an orphanage for HIV-affected children. (more…)

A blog for Copenhagen

by Thomas Schwarz

Nairobi skies: Will there be rain soon? (photo: CARE/Freccia)

Last night, before I went to bed, I looked up to the skies. It seemed completely overcast by rainclouds. (more…)

by Thomas Schwarz

Even in Nairobi water becomes scarce (photo: CARE/Freccia)

It is not really hot in Kenya. At least not in Nairobi, where I arrived today. (more…)