KB... An Eye Opener :by Zainab Khan,Lahore

Like most of us I was shaken by the last year's earthquake and decided to spend a part of my summer holidays this year in affected areas to share the grief of people. My experience of Kodar Bala and NVM is the best thing that has ever happened to me. The 15 days of my life that I spent at Kodar Bala in my summer were truly eye opening; they have left an indelible mark on me, shaken me to the very core and altered my perspectives about a lot of things. Kodar Bala is a quake hit village in Siren Valley, Mansehra District, accessible by a jeep able road.

I was full of apprehension as I flew towards Pakistan. What awaited me? After all, I was coming out alone on the strength of email correspondence with Mr Muhammad Ali Saif of NVM and a short telephone conversation. All I knew was that I wanted to get involved in the rehabilitation work in the earthquake-affected areas and that NVM seemed to be the most reliable organization through which to work. However, on arrival in Islamabad, my apprehensions were lifted. I received a very warm welcome and was put instantly at ease. Now all I experienced was excitement at the number of possible projects that I could get involved in.