Cologne/Muzaffarabad/Kabul. On the occasion of the first winter relief distribution in the district of Muzaffarabad, the German Ambassador in Islamabad, Dr. Gunter Mulack, explicitly acclaimed the commitment of Malteser International by saying: 'Here, the cooperation between a Christian and Muslim NGO perfectly works!' Ten thousands of victims of the devastating earthquake in Pakistan are still in need of support. This year, Malteser International again helps 2,600 people in need - especially widows, orphans, elderly people as well as those suffering from a disability - to survive the severe winter by supplying drinking water tanks, blankets, pillows and kitchen sets. 'I very much appreciate the dedication of Malteser International in this project area, which is so difficult to access', the Ambassador continues. In the valleys of Muzaffarabad, the temperature very often drops below -5 °C at night. Together with the Turkish partner organisation 'International Blue Crescent' Malteser International has been supporting the earthquake victims since the emergency phase in October 2005.

Over 73,000 people died in the earthquake of October 8, 2005, in Pakistan. Another 3,5 million became homeless. The aid of Malteser International in the different regions of the area affected by the earthquake is financed amongst others by the German Foreign Office and will be continued in 2007.

Malteser International also provides winter relief in Afghanistan: Responding to the request of the provincial government of Logar, a province in the highlands south of Kabul, the organisation distributes ovens, firewood, mattresses, blankets and Vaseline to 1,000 families who are in acute need. Among them, there are many repatriates from Pakistan who live in emergency shelters. 'The aid is extremely necessary,' explains Wiltrud Gutsmiedl, Desk Officer Afghanistan of Malteser International. 'The people still could not re-establish their source of income and are especially dependent on help during the severe winter. The instable security situation makes life even harder.'

The winter relief is carried out in cooperation with the Foreign Office. Malteser International has been working in Afghanistan since 2002. At the moment, the organisation supports the rehabilitation of the country in six provinces with a team of one international and 30 local employees.

Attention editorial offices! Klaus Euler, Country Coordinator of Malteser International in Pakistan, and Wiltrud Gutsmiedl, Desk Officer Afghanistan of Malteser International, are available for interviews. Please contact +49 (0)221-9822-120.

Pictures for download: www.malteser.de -> aktuelles -> aktuelle Bilder zum Download

In order to help the people in Pakistan through the winter, Malteser International is in need of donations:

Donation Account 120 120 120 Bank fuer Sozialwirtschaft, Woerthstr.15-17, D-50668 Koeln Sort Code 370 205 00 IBAN : DE49 3702 0500 0001 0258 01 BIC: BFSWDE33XXX Reference: 'Afghanistan/Pakistan'

For more Information please contact: Dr. Claudia Kaminski, Press Officer, Phone: +49-221-9822-125, Fax +49-221/9822-119; presse@maltanet.de; www.malteser-international.org

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