By Zubair Khan

Recently devastating floods hit South East Europe. Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia were severely affected. In Croatia villages alongside river Sava in Slavonic region  of the country faced main damages. This region occupies the largest part of eastern continental Croatia. It lies between the regions of Posavina, Podravina, Baranja and Podunavlje to the east along the Serbian border. Many important Croatian cities such as Osijek, Slavonski Brod, Vukovar, Vinkovci and Đakovo.Even after couple of weeks flood affected villages look like Ghost Towns. No water, no electricity fully infested with mosquitoes and unbearable odor of deceased animals has made the area unfit for human life.
As usual, immediately reacting to natural catastrophe, Humanity First stepped in for relief of flood victims. Through patron in chief as well chairman of Humanity First Germany, relief task in Croatia was assigned to Mr Zubair Khan currently stationed in Zagreb to look after the affairs of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. Through local friends SUS, students union belonging to Slavonic region (Slavonska udruga Studenata) was contacted for cooperation. It welcomed HFD with open heart. Its President Mr Tomislave Lalic and Vice President Mr Hrvoje Vampovac extended tremendous cooperation in assessment of needs, purchases, unloading of trucks, packing, loading of trucks, transportation to affected area and distribution of relief items directly to affected people.

Truck loaded with relief items approximately for 150 families (including food stuff, hygienic material, children items, shovels, working suits, disinfection material) went directly to affected village Racinovci.  SUS organized the truck with all the waivers from road and motorway taxes. Currently affected villages have been cordoned by military and police and except for residents who during the day visit their houses to clean and dry up their houses no one is allowed to enter the area. However local villages Community chief Mr Josip Abramovic organized the  police clearance for the HF team to go directly to the affected village and distribute the items directly to affected people. In whole relief work Ms Staska Baric being translator for HF coordinated all the activities. Similarly Ms Maja Gorupic also extended full cooperation.  She was the middle person to get the contact between Ahmadija/HFI and SUS. Ms Naeema Shaheen Khan being only Lajna member in Croatia also helped the project.

While on the spot the villagers expressed dire need for generators, driers and disinfection material. Due to absence of electricity no work is possible to restore the houses for residence purposes. Government officials as well many NGOs promised to help the residents but still these promises are unfulfilled.  Through kind courtesy of HFD chairman few such sets have been promised to local villagers who will use these on rotation basis. Local community chief as well Mr Patrik are looking for appropriate apparatus for acquisition.  Hopefully in couple of days the equipment  will be handed over to local villagers by HFD.

Humanity First Volunteers who did complete packing in Zagreb Croatia

Mr Josip Abramovic, Community Leader in affected village

Distribution in village to affected people

Packets prepared with Humanity first stickers with website address

Packing operation

Note by the Editor:  For more still pictures and video links about flood affected area and relief work visit the official webstie of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Croatia at http://www.alislam.hr.