DOCUMENTARY: REBUILDING @ 73°E
October 8, 2006
By: Nasir AzizÂ
One year ago today, northern Pakistan was rocked by the worst earthquake in its history. Over 80,000 people died and millions became homeless. As expats and far from our friends and families, most of us wanted to help and do something to help the effectees.
For that matter I joined hands with Pakistan Association of Greater Seattle to jump start the relief efforts locally and get as much help as possible. Within few hours of earthquake news, we put up a earthquake centric website with up-to-date information on what was needed and who to contact. We went out on media blitz and told the story to locals and asked for their help. Our efforts bore fruit and a very successful relief plan came to fruition.
Being a hobbyist documentarian, I captured the moments of this effort in Seattle and all the way to Pakistan. Rebuilding @ 73°E shows and tells a story of people helping total strangers across the world. Religion, race, politics – all became irrelevant. 37 American and 3 Pakistani volunteers travelled to Pakistan to save a mountain with 4 villages. A total of 7 million US Dollars are being spent on this mountain to sustain it for 2 years. This includes shelters, school maintenance, books, student uniforms, teacher salaries, heating and other energy costs, food and rebuilding.
On this earthquake’s first anniversary, I am making this documentary publicly available over the Internet for the first time to share this story. This documentary has been shown in several universities, schools, colleges, and one local film festival. Enjoy.
October 8, 2006 at 7:48 pm
Thank you Nasir, for sharing this wonderful film on the internet. It was very heart warming, powerful and gratifying to see so much effort make so much good. Are you in touch with the village still? How are they faring now, one year later? So many of us tried our best to help from afar. We did our best, but must remember to not forget. Perhaps you may consider posting your vdo on YouTube.com? It was truly moving.
Aisha
October 8, 2006 at 8:09 pm
[...] It is heart warming, moving and it reminds us again, how much difference one’s efforts and commitment can make.  You can view the 26 minute film here or on a larger screen on Google VDO, here. [...]
October 9, 2006 at 2:41 am
Good effort and excellent video, must say.
Just that the work is not done..it was a initiative and we have to pay what we owe to this country by still being a part in rebuilding it.
May be we cannot give them a life that they had but we can help them survive.