BBC Midlands Today
BBCAlthough they are thousands of miles apart, the devastation caused by floods in Pakistan is being felt in Birmingham.
The Faizan Global Relief Foundation in Stetchford is raising funds and organising aid shipments to help the communities affected after heavy rains wreaked havoc across the country in August.
More than 900 lives were lost, and thousands of homes were destroyed, leaving communities in dire need of assistance.
Head of the foundation, Syed Muhammad Faisal Sami, said he had seen the devastation. “I was there – their houses were gone, their family, their livelihood gone,” he said.
“They had mud in their house because when the cloud burst with the water, heavy mud came.”
He said the charity was providing rations, food packs and water and was working with a team of doctors and volunteers to mobilise support for those affected.
The foundation’s efforts were also focussed on restoring critical infrastructure, he added.
Mr Sami is due to go to Pakistan next week to oversee and coordinate rebuilding operations on the ground, in Jhelum.
“We have promised with the commissioner of [Jhelum] that we will rebuild the houses for them, and especially the mosque and the community centres and the school for them as well,” he said.
In Pakistan, one eyewitness said: “I’ve seen the children, they’ve lost their parents, even the parents we have seen were crying because they have lost their children as well.”
Back in Stetchford, volunteer Talib Hussain, also expressed his concern: “It’s a very emotional time for us and therefore we want to help our families back in Pakistan.”