October
17,
2005
Click on photo to open 4"x6" 300dpi
version, right-click, "Save picture as. . ."
Or click here to download zip-compressed UPPER
PHOTO or LOWER PHOTO
Lighting the Way for Relief
By Loretta Conley
 Since
the 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck northwest Pakistan on October 8,
thousands of people live in utter darkness once the sun goes down. Now,
light is on the way. Responding with urgency to the call for help,
Pakistani-American Pervaiz Lodhie, owner of solid-state lighting
manufacturer LEDtronics Inc., express shipped 2000 of his company's LED
flashlights to Pakistan.
Horrified by scenes of devastation in his homeland,
Lodhie took action. First, contributing to Pakistani President Musharraf's
Quake Relief Fund, and then investigating what material assistance he
could provide. Learning of the critical need for sustainable portable
lighting, Lodhie knew it was a task that he was uniquely positioned to
fulfill. "It is ideal that LEDtronics specializes in
energy-efficient, solid-state lighting. The flashlights were sitting in
the stockroom ready to go," says Lodhie.
LED flashlights are perfect for use in the arduous
conditions existing in post-quake Pakistan. Their ruggedly constructed
exteriors and internal components are nearly indestructible. They operate
for up to six continuous days on a set of batteries unlike traditional
flashlights, an important consideration due to the sporadic access to
supplies. Additionally, LED flashlights eliminate the threats of burns,
flames, fumes, spills and explosions of kerosene-fueled lamps.
 The
enormity of the disaster is unimaginable. More than 54,000 thousand people
are dead, 3.3 million are homeless, and the area's infrastructure is
decimated. Recovery will take decades. As Lodhie prepares another shipment
of long-operating LED lighting products (solar-powered LED lanterns, LED
candles and LED-illuminated safety vests) for the earthquake victims and
rescuers, he is talking with competitors within his industry about
contributing aid. Lodhie believes the scale of the tragedy transcends
businesses, religions, ethnicities and politics. Lodhie adds, "It's
the time for us to rise above our differences and help in this human
tragedy."
Lodhie offers to facilitate any donations to the relief
effort. He works with Indus Earth Trust, an NGO dedicated to alleviating
poverty in Pakistan and is an organization with which Lodhie has
collaborated with on many other projects, to handle the distribution of
goods in Pakistan. Donations to the President Musharraf's Quake Relief
Fund can be made to the Pakistan Embassy and Consulates.
Aside from assisting with the earthquake relief, Lodhie
is a tireless champion for Pakistan, promoting Pakistani businesses and
investments. He is a corporate member of the U.S.-Pakistan Business
Council, which is an integral component of the South Asia Affairs
Department at the United States Chamber of Commerce. Lodhie is also active
in Pakistani American Leadership Center (PALC), a Washington-based
organization dedicated to educating American public on issues related to
Pakistan and Pakistani Americans. It recently helped found the bi-partisan
Congressional Pakistan Caucus.
President's Quake Relief Fund: www.embassyofpakistan.com
LEDtronics website at www.ledtronics.com.
|
