28/08/2025
When Floods Swept Away Homes, YAM- Young Activists Movement Volunteers Stepped In with Hope
Hunza, August 28:
When flash floods tore through valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan this month, dozens of families lost their homes overnight and hundreds more were left struggling for food. Amidst the chaos, young volunteers of the Young Activists Movement (YAM) became a lifeline—delivering emergency rations, comfort, and solidarity to those who felt abandoned.
The campaign, spearheaded by Shan Babar and Naveed Murtaza, began modestly with food packages for 15 displaced families in Hassanabad, Hunza. But as news of devastation spread from Tilidass in Roshan Valley—where a sudden flood and lake formation wiped out 154 houses—the mission quickly grew into a region-wide relief operation.
“People had nothing left. Their homes, their fields, their grain—all gone in minutes,” said one YAM volunteer who reached Roshan. “We couldn’t just stand by.”
From Tilidass to Hakis, Thingee, and Roshan, volunteers braved blocked roads and treacherous terrain to reach families. In Khalti Valley, rations for 15 families were entrusted to local elders because landslides had made the 11-kilometer stretch impassable. In Madur Valley and Mola Abad, 61 families received aid, while in Dain, Ishkoman, food packages reached 86 households with the help of Ghizer-based youth.
Beyond food, YAM’s support extended to the community kitchen (Langar) in Tilidass, run by Ismaili Volunteers for travelers and flood victims. The group donated 20 liters of cooking oil, 18 cartons of milk, and plastic sheets to safeguard supplies—small contributions that made a big difference to those sharing meals under difficult circumstances.
Behind this relief effort stood a network of supporters: the Hunza Youth Association raised funds in the UAE, Somo Corporation donated milk cartons, Yaraan Corporation provided transport for Ghizer, while families like Bashir’s in Rahimabad opened their homes for food packaging and hosted YAM teams. In Ghizer, DFO Rehmatullah Baig welcomed volunteers, offering fuel and hospitality. Hunza Foodways amplified the campaign online, while ADS Enterprises backed the mission with steady donations.
For the young activists, however, the most powerful support came not in material form but in the trust and prayers of those they served.
As Gilgit-Baltistan continues to reel from the destruction, YAM pledges to carry on. “This is not charity—it is humanity,” said Shan Babar. “We will not stop until every family knows they are not alone.