Since the 2004 tsunami, our association, Europe solidaire sans frontières (ESSF), participated in collective financial solidarity campaigns or supported calls from other organizations (for Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu, Haiti, etc.). ESSF also launched its own initiatives towards several Asian countries in response to more or less “natural” disasters: Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, and Burma… [1]

From the 2005 earthquake to the 2010 floods, our solidarity efforts have been especially sustained toward the Pakistani victims of these disasters. This year, in January-February, we sent funds in relation to the campaign launched the previous year (2009). A second campaign of donations began in August.

For the whole year, 8.819,97 € have been collected, 8.700 € were transferred to Pakistan, while costs (banking and others) amounted to 119,97 €.

ESSF solidarity calls received an international response through two ways:

* Direct: 4.099,97 € have been received from other countries than France.

* Indirect: We have been one of the main websites to spread calls from our Pakistani sister organizations and to post online a regular information on the situation there, in two languages (French and English). Together with other websites (as International Viewpoint or the CADTM), this helped other independent initiatives to be taken in various countries.

More generally, our campaigns are integral parts of international collaborations, which enhance its efficiency [2]

We faced practical difficulties for the launching of the August campaign, animators of our associations traveling then and French activists networks being hard to reach during summer holidays.

We also need to collaborate better, in France and elsewhere, with partners to broaden the scope of the solidarity, to get in touch with, and mobilize, a greater number of organizations or persons.

We are as well thinking of creating a permanent solidarity fund to be able to respond quicker to humanitarian disasters and to be able to send immediately some financial help, even if modest amounts, while initiating the mobilization.

We shall come back on this question.

Pierre Rousset
For Europe solidaire sans frontières (ESSF)

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The state of the 2010 Pakistan solidarity campaign

Received

January-February 2010: 1.700 euros (from : France).

August-November 2010: 7.019,97 euros from :

2.999,97 from Germany (a common initiative of Inprekor, RSB and ISL)

3.020 euros fromFrance (individual donations)

400 euros from Turkey (donation from Yeniyol)

400 euros from the Netherlands (donation from SAP)

300 euros from Quebec (individual donation)

Total for 2010: 8.819,97 euros

including:

4.720 euros from France

4.099,97 euros from other countries

Sent

Transferred to Pakistan (via LEF)

8.700 euros actually transferred to Pakistan (though LEF and LRC)

Costs

Banking costs: 78 euros

Other costs: 41,97 euros

Total costs: 8.819,97

Balance : 0,0 euros

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You can send donations via Europe solidaire sans frontières (ESSF), Europe in Solidarity Without Borders :

Cheques
cheques to ESSF in euros only to be sent to:
ESSF
2, rue Richard-Lenoir
93100 Montreuil
France

Bank Account:
Crédit lyonnais
Agence de la Croix-de-Chavaux (00525)
10 boulevard Chanzy
93100 Montreuil
France
ESSF, account number 445757C

International bank account details :
IBAN : FR85 3000 2005 2500 0044 5757 C12
BIC / SWIFT : CRLYFRPP
Account holder : ESSF

We shall keep you informed through our website of the evolution of the situation there and of the solidarity initiatives.

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For the next years Pakistan solidarity, see: Financial update of the 2011 Pakistan Solidarity Campaign (article 23670)

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