Imtiaz Sooliman – Gift of the Givers caught up between earthquake and floods
AI: Summary ©
The aid organization has been working on two African countries using natural disasters as a template, but they have been unable to provide aid due to travel logistics and logistics of the move. The speakers emphasize the need for highly trained personnel on the ground, as well as the challenges faced by the French government and the Brazilian economy. They stress the importance of safety and the need for a team to prevent accidents, as well as the need for a way to get out of the dark and preserve body and air cargo. Fundraising is also mentioned, and hope that aid will be sent to those affected by the crisis.
AI: Summary ©
Two African countries have been struck by natural disasters just
days apart. Just over a week ago, a devastating earthquake struck
Morocco, killing over 2000 people in the same weekend, Libya
experienced a Mediterranean storm causing deadly floods and killing
over 11,000 people. Aid organization gift of the givers
was more than ready to offer assistance, but Morocco refused
international aid, whilst Libya was relieved to have help and
requested urgent intervention. Unfortunately, due to travel
logistics, the mission had to be canceled. I'm now joined by gift
of the givers. Founder, Dr Imtiaz Suleiman, thank you so much for
your time, doctor, we do appreciate it. May they just tell
us what's the status on both Morocco and Libya in terms of aid
being provided to both of these countries?
Good evening. Heidi, in terms of Morocco, they said they can
manage. You know, from the first day when earthquake hit on the
first of September, they've, they've, they got, they received
assistance from many countries in the world, and they very politely
told our embassy, they told our government, they told us that,
look at the moment, we're taking teams from Spain, support from
Qatar, from the UK and from the UAE, and we will manage this
disaster on our own. And you know the they tell you the armed forces
are in full force in the different areas and this, and they refused.
Well, very politely, said, Didn't take up the offer. I can't, don't
say refused. They politely, you know, did not take on the offer
assistance. And they said, look, the other challenge they have in
the initial days was there's too many boulders. The roads are
closed. Teams will not be able to get in, and teams will get
frustrated. So they basically turn down it from the rest of the
world. Wait as as a policy, don't impose our assistance on any
country or any group. Then it has to come from them. But as a
courtesy, being an African country, we offer that them, that
support through the government and through various channels. On the
living side, it's totally opposite. Yeah. Sorry.
Convenience. Okay.
Continue. Science. It's okay, yes, on the Libyan side, it's totally
opposite. They, you know, they've been calling from the president's
office, from his ministers from different departments, the
disaster center, the ambassador in South Africa, Libyan doctors in
South Africa, Libyan personnel on the ground interpreting then
ordinary people inside Libya, the courts have been flooding in and
in from Libyans in other parts of the world. Please, can you help?
And they all come with the same request. We need highly trained
personnel. I mean, we specialize in that. We've got together teams,
search industry personnel. SAP has joined us with five dogs and
handlers. We have another private food handlers and dogs, because
it's a water disaster. It's more like a tsunami, because the water
took out all the buildings like an earthquake. So it requires such a
rescue and equipment. It requires aquatic personnel on boards. They
ask for that to such a rescue dogs, medical equipment, such a
rescue equipment and supplies. We put all of that together. But
because of Libya's history since 2011 and the country is split in
two governments in the east and the west, and there's armed
groups. There's no regular airlines that fly to the country.
And the problem is you can't fly this to any part of the country.
You need to, need to get closest to donor. Otherwise it becomes
impossible, in terms of logistics, to move equipment, dogs, boats,
and it just takes too long, and the security the issue with armed
groups all over the country. Also, it's a country where people are
taken hostage South Africa. Herfander was taken hostage in
Libya and is currently still held hostage in Mali. So these were the
challenges. The only way to overcome that was to charter a
plane and to fly into Tobruk, which was 180 kilometers away from
Ghana. The Libyan presidency said, we will send all people to meet
you, send the cars, you know, vehicles support, provide
accommodation. There's two free hospitals. You can choose
whichever one you want with escort you and to the disaster itself, we
couldn't fly a single company in the world wanting to fly to to
Tobruk. They said insurance risk is too high. The cost is too high.
It's dangerous on the ground. They can't wait there. And only one
airline finally agreed, and the cost 850,000
US dollars, almost 16 million Rand. It became an impossibility,
and unfortunately, we had to cancel that. But sometimes new
developments now. So just lastly, Dr Suleman, do you find it to be
worth the risk, given what you've just explained, the the safety
concerns around around getting into Libya?
I would never risk my teams. Our standard role is the teams come
first. You know, I would never risk any teams, because it's a
responsibility their husbands, their wives, their brothers, their
sisters, of many people, I would never put them at risk for that.
You know, the Libyan government offered to send a plane to fetch
us, but you know, we I will never take a mission.
Where I'm not in control of the logistics, and the most critical
aspect of disaster intervention, especially where there's armed
groups and disorder, is how to get out or how to get in. And that's
why, if the planes are on our control, we will not respond. But
something else has happened. We don't want to leave them in the
dark because they've been crying. They need personnel. They need
formula to preserve those bodies. Bodies are, you know needs to be
embalmed. They need energy. Who drinks? Energy foods, foods for
for children. They've asked for medical supplies. We said,
Alright, send your plane and we'll fill it right now. They're busy
with our Tamil they're waiting for feedback. They want to send a 30
ton plane to get to South Africa. We will fill that plane with
urgent supplies. We also looking at airlifting items from Dubai
through companies we've used before in Sanya and other parts of
the world to send them full medical supplies to to AAA and
onwards into Benghazi and Derna. Also the huge request for body
bags. So we are starting a fundraising campaign, and we're
hoping that by Wednesday, we'll fill the 30 ton plane, I know, for
even for more planes after that and send stuff from Dubai. So
we're not leaving them totally in the alert, but they will need us
qualified search industry personnel. Unfortunately, I can't
just put my teams on the ground. Certainly. Well, thank you for the
work that you are doing. I think they are in absolute, desperate
need to get assistance. I mean, in Libya, 11,000 people have been
reported to have died from those deadly floods, so any aid is, of
course, needed there. Thank you so much. That was gift of the givers.
Founder, Dr mchaz Suleiman.