PRCS launching 'neighbourhood watch' concept

Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) is launching 'neighbourhood watch' concept in Lahore as pilot project to assist the traffic wardens at various busy points of the provincial metropolis in extending help to the citizen in need. Under this project initially 150 to 200 young people would be imparted training of first-aid, traffic rules, working of traffic wardens and social work and later depute them on busy traffic crossings and roads to work under traffic wardens deputed by the government.
These young people will administer first aid to citizen in case of need at these busiest places while waiting for the ambulance or mainstream medical treatment. This was stated by the Chairman PRCS Dr Saeed Elahi while speaking to the members of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) at its head office here on Saturday. REAP Patron, Pir Nazim Hussain Shah and former Vice-Chairman Taufiq Ahmad Khan welcomed the visiting delegation of the PRCS.
Dr Saeed Elahi said that if this project is succeeded then will be replicated in Rawalpindi and later in other cities of the country. He said similarly 50 'first-aid kiosks' will also be installed in the city at various points. He invited the business community and exporters to lend a hand to the Society in this noble cause for meeting the expenses to be incurred on training, uniform and salaries of these young people. He said he is visiting various trade bodies in this regard and said tremendous response is being given to this proposal by the business community. One LCCI member had announced to bear the expenses of 15 volunteers in a meeting held on yesterday, Saeed Elahi added.
PRCS Chairman also threw light on different projects being undertaken or planned by the Society after his assuming the charge which included increasing the number of Red Crescent volunteers from 0.200 to 1.7 million in only eight months and imparting training to different strata of society including the members of the parliament to meet any emergent situation. He said that they have planned to take the numbers of volunteers to five million in next two years.
He said presently world is working on materializing the slogan of 'first-aider in each house' and the organisation in Pakistan is following the same cause. He also disclosed that PRCS was taking care of 150,000 temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) and had constituted 100 foot-ball teams of young men from these camps besides providing them food, non-food, water, sanitation and medical facilities.
PRCS also going to launch 'Speed Learning Programme' for the TDPs under which illiterate persons would be taught and made able to read and understand at par with middle-educated person. He said that this programme had already been tested in Rawalpindi where 200 illiterate persons were educated. He also appreciated the efforts of rice sector exporters and businessmen who were earning precious foreign exchange for the country. He assured them that their problems would be taken up at appropriate forums and he would also ensure meeting of the REAP representatives with the Chief Minister for solution to their issues.