Islamic Relief (IR) USA and the Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals (CAMP) have teamed up to hold a series of US-based fundraising banquets featuring guest speaker international cricket legend Shahid Afridi.

The ‘Building for the Future’ tour, which begins in Dallas, Texas, on February 15 2008, incorporates six charity dinners and will raise funds for IR’s Pakistan relief efforts and attempt to raise awareness of the humanitarian situation which resulted from the June 2007 floods.

In July 2007 Afridi visited some of the areas in Baluchistan worst affected by the floods; helping IR staff distribute over $100,000 worth of tents, blankets, food parcels and kitchen sets to those displaced by the disaster and he will talk about this experience during the tour.

“We’re working with Islamic Relief to alleviate the suffering and to provide a brighter future for the children still affected by this devastating tragedy,” Shamsa Chaudry, President of CAMP Chicago said in a statement.

The 2007 floods affected over 2 million people in the province of Baluchistan, where homes, schools and other vital infrastructure were washed away.

In the immediate aftermath of the floods IR began to distribute food, water and jerry cans to families in the districts of Kharan and Chagai in Baluchistan.

IR is now working in partnership with other relief agencies and institutional donors to provide continued support to all those affected.

For more information about IR’s Building the Future tour visit www.irw.org/pakistan