In 2005, we first heard of a non-profit, Impak, taking 15 US and UK college students and connecting them with over a dozen NGOs and private initiatives in Pakistan for an interesting and unique summer program.

This year, Impak is offering a Quake Relief Summer Program (QRSP) to connect participants with established organizations working in earthquake affected areas. Following a short orientation in Islamabad, participants will join their selected host organization to begin an 8-week project. This year, Impak has partnered with Concern for Children, Indus Earth, and The Citizens Foundation to implement projects related to regional health, infrastructure and education needs. The program ends with a week-long retreat where participants come together to tour and trek through other parts of the country.

We asked Bilaal Ahmed (Impak) for several details on Impak and the QRSP. We hope you (or someone you know) can quickly take advantage of this unique opportunity to spend a summer in Pakistan, truly helping those who really need our help!

What is Impak...

In the spring of 2004, three individuals based on three separate continents - myself (Bilaal Ahmed, USA), Sarah Karim (Pakistan) and Mustafa Hadi (UK) - initiated what would become Impak. Each of us was independently working on our own separate projects that brought youth and professionals from abroad to Pakistan and engaged in the humanitarian issues facing the developing world. At the onset, we didn't have any funds and had to volunteer time while still involved in our own professional capacities. I was particularly lucky to work with such amazing, dedicated individuals who didn't allow such constraints to impede the overall vision.

Impak's Mission ...

Impak has a very simple mission: to connect individuals to Pakistan through meaningful work and volunteer opportunities. In doing so, we are creating positive change for everyday Pakistanis that we work with and we are promoting understanding with the outside world. We are independent and not affiliated with any particular organization, creed, or agenda except for our common goal of promoting service and development in Pakistan on a purely altruistic, humanitarian level.

The 2005 Pilot Summer Program...

In the summer of 2005 we launched our first project, the Pilot Summer Program (PSP), that connected 15 individuals from the US and UK with a dozen organizations working with a variety of NGOs and private initiatives that were impacting Pakistan. The group, though largely of Pakistani origin, represented a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences. We had a future law student and government analyst working on sustainable wildlife projects for WWF Pakistan. An outgoing Rice University student and a Wellesley College graduate worked on women's issues at Shirkat Gah and Aahung, respectively. We also worked with one for-profit organization where a LSE student partnered alongside a graphic artist at Cinepax, which sought to create a family movie-going experience throughout Pakistan.

Like most pilot phases, Impak saw incredible challenges with a severe lack of resources. However, the patience and perseverance put forth by directors and participants allowed Impak to ultimately become a success. In using "exposure, experience, empowerment" as a model to measure success, there are some clear examples of what PSP participants have accomplished following their experience with Impak. Shenaaz Janmohamed went back to back Pakistan following the earthquake to volunteer with Relief International. Jon Miles will be going back this summer to Islamabad to intern with the Supreme Court. And Noorain Khan will be going to Oxford next fall as a Rhodes Scholar to do an M.Phil in Migration Studies.

Mustafa Hadi, Bilaal Ahmed, and Sarah Karim

Impak's 2005 Summer Program Participants

Trekking along Passu Glacier

Program Description...

The QRSP connects participants with established organizations working in earthquake affected areas. Following a short orientation in Islamabad, participants join their selected host organization to begin their 8-week project. This year, Impak has partnered with Concern for Children, Indus Earth, and The Citizens Foundation to implement projects related to regional health, infrastructure and education needs. The program ends with a week-long retreat where participants come together to tour and trek through other parts of the country.

Participants must bring forth initiative and utilize their skill sets to develop the projects of their host organization. For education, participants will work with local teachers to develop the curriculum and incorporate lessons that allow students to overcome social and moral upheaval. Health-focused projects promote general awareness of basic health and hygiene, including aspects of neglected care following the earthquake. In infrastructure, projects seek to enhance local capacity in building sustainable structures.

These are just some of the projects that participants will be involved with. What they all have in common is that they're working with affected populations and focused on sustainable solutions to bring reconstruction and redevelopment to the region.

One important distinction about Impak is that it's not limited to students. Our mission is to connect individuals to Pakistan and, in the long-term, bring about a transfer of skill and understanding. Individuals that are selected are referred to as "participants" rather than interns; the latter suggests training and a one-way learning experience. Instead, we view this as a two-way path where participants gain from the experience of working in Pakistan while partnering organizations gain from the input of highly-skilled participants. Our current capacity allows us to only do a two-month summer program, making it more conducive to students who can easily devote that period.

Having said that, we expect a majority of applicants to be graduate or undergraduate students. For individuals seeking academic development or grassroots experience in a developing country, Pakistan is a unique and perhaps even ideal destination. The circumstances in Pakistan are not exactly favorable for a visitor but it is an important geopolitical destination that provides some perspective on how politics, religion, and economics intersect and affect the everyday lives of individuals. Through Impak's facilitation, participants -- including students -- have the opportunity to work in this region and learn some important life lessons that will make a significant impact on their personal, academic and professional development.

There are three stages that students initiate when they volunteer abroad: exposure, experience and empowerment. For anyone to take an interest in an issue, they must be exposed to it through some medium; there is perhaps nothing more powerful than to see something first-hand at a grassroots level. That initial exposure lends itself to a developed experience, where the individual can process all that he is seeing, whether it is in seeing poverty, speaking with locals, or persevering through difficult conditions. Once an individual has matured through the experience, there is a sense of frustration but, ultimately, a desire to empower oneself and change things. Impak works with its participants to bring them to the first stage of exposure. We believe that humanity and working with everyday Pakistanis will guide participants through the next two stages.

Our website (http://www.impak.org/vision.php) lays out general benefits that the individual gains from his or her experience.

What requirements do the candidates have to meet to qualify for the Impak summer program?

Impak is not for everyone. We have some specific requirements that they must be citizens or permanent residents of the US, UK or Canada. The other is that they must be 20 years old by the time the program begins. These are elaborated on our 'Requirements' page. Being of Pakistani origin or having the ability to communicate a Pakistani language may help in some cases but it is not mandatory.

We also look for certain qualities in a candidate that suggest they have the drive and initiative to work in Pakistan. That can be demonstrated in prior work experiences, academic excellence, project initiatives and travel experience abroad.

Impak encourages individuals to apply if they meet the two major requirements. We don't expect this year's program to be too competitive and believe that applicants have a fairly good chance of getting in if they are diligent when preparing their application.

Are there any expenses on the part of qualified candidates?

As a volunteer-run organization, Impak incurs only operational costs. In order for us to continue to work at cost, we require participants to pay a program fee and make arrangements for their airfare and travel visa. However, it's important to note what we've stated on our website regarding costs:

"We believe costs should not be a deterrent in allowing individuals to participate in our programs. Impak will assist participants with fundraising materials and provide direction in applying for public and private grants. Scholarships, based on financial need, may be awarded to participants for whom costs could be a prohibitive factor."

We recently filed our 501c(3) application and will be researching grant opportunities so that in the future we can offer our program at zero cost to the participant. At the same time, we need the local community, particularly Pakistani Americans, to step forward and donate to our program if they see value in our mission.