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Release date
September 21, 2006
Contact
Elizabeth Griffin
Director of Communications
Baltimore, MD
410-951-7361

Pakistan President Honors Catholic Relief Services for Earthquake Response

September 21, 2006, —

Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf today presents Catholic Relief Services (CRS) with the prestigious Sitara-i-Eisaar (Star of Sacrifice) award honoring the agency's comprehensive and timely response to last year's devastating earthquake.

The 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck October 8, 2005 killed an estimated 73,000 people in Pakistan and left nearly 3 million homeless. In the past year, CRS has provided more than 166,000 people with emergency supplies, shelter, education, water and sanitation materials, and livelihood support.

"I'd like to thank President Musharraf and the people of Pakistan for this recognition. I am gratified that we were able to make a difference in the lives of so many people, providing them with vital emergency supplies and assisting them in reconstructing stronger homes that will better withstand future earthquakes," said CRS President Ken Hackett, who will personally accept the award during today's ceremony at the Pakistan Embassy.

With more than 50 years experience working in Pakistan, CRS was among the first agencies to respond. To date, CRS has repaired or opened 130 schools, provided support for semi-permanent shelters for 130,000 people, built latrines and washrooms for 89,000 people, restored water sources for more than 18,000 people and helped tens of thousands restart their economic livelihoods.

"I am proud of how quickly CRS was able to respond to the emergency needs of the victims of the earthquake," said Hackett. "This was made possible by our long history of collaboration in Pakistan and the high quality of our Pakistani and international staff, as well as our partners in Pakistan. In addition, we were helped immensely by the dedicated staff of Caritas Pakistan. And the assistance and support provided by the governments of Pakistan and the United States was also invaluable."

With private and public funds totaling more than $32 million, CRS assistance in Pakistan is one of the largest disaster response efforts in the agency's history.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency provides assistance to people in 99 countries and territories based on need, regardless of race, nationality or creed. For more information, visit www.crs.org. Catholic Relief Services is a member of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social service organizations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. Caritas Internationalis is the official humanitarian agency of the global Catholic Church.