Dear Reader,
Last month, devastating floods hit Pakistan, leaving fifty million people displaced. Numerous public health institutions, water infrastructure, and schools have been destroyed or damaged, in addition to hundreds of thousands of residences. A startling one-third of the country is submerged under water.
Pakistan is a country close to our heart as it is home to nearly three hundred Odettians and five thousand future Odettians who are part of our community. Even with so much of the country under water, our Odettians showed up to work every day. We experienced no delivery issues and have been operating at our highest capacity and service levels since the company's founding. Not only did the Odettians deliver 100% to our clients, but many also contributed to relief activities in their personal capacity. Within days of the flood, the Odettian network of helpers got to work, organizing clothing and food drives, and raising funds that have gone a long way to support families in need. When I asked the Odettians how they could show up to work each day, despite the floods, I received messages of hope. They told me that they are aware of their nation's crises and yet have tremendous expectations that Pakistan will come out stronger from this and be rebuilt again.
My belief in the Odettians has grown even more strongly, as I know that no matter how difficult the circumstances, our team will stand rock solid and do what is right for the world and their communities. After watching so much good after so much suffering, I want to extend the help in any way possible. We are raising funds for the Citizens Foundation (TCF), a U.S. based non-profit voted by our community as having the highest impact on Pakistan flood relief. Your help in the form of donations can amplify a network of helpers to do much more. Odetta, as a company, will be matching all funds raised.
This story serves as a reminder of our interconnectedness, both physically and spiritually. Observing coordinated responses from our community reinforces my faith in humanity.
With Love,
Katharine
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“The sun will come out again after the rain. Life exists. The joy will still be there after the agony. No matter what kind of natural calamity Pakistan has experienced, it has always recovered stronger and with a much wider outlook.”— Nabeeha Khattak
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Along with the support of her family and friends, one of our Odettian’s Nabeeha made a significant contribution to the organization of the relief operations. When Pakistan was afflicted by devastating floods in 2010, her father and uncles assisted in collecting donations and creating a network of organizers. As soon as the floods occurred, they set up their network of local volunteers and friends to assist those in need throughout Pakistan's four provinces (KPK, Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab). In addition to raising more than 5 million PKR ($25K+), this network has also collected and distributed large amounts of clothing, goods, and toys.
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Quote of the Month on Hope
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“I do have reasons for hope: our clever brains, the resilience of nature, the indomitable human spirit, and above all, the commitment of young people when they’re empowered to take action. There is still so much in the world worth fighting for. So much that is beautiful, so many wonderful people working to reverse the harm, to help alleviate the suffering. All conspiring to inspire us and to give us hope that it is not too late to turn things around, if we all do our part.”
— Jane Goodall, Primatologist and Conservationist
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