Ten Americans doing great things for Pakistan
Over the last few years, the experiences of Americans in Pakistan have been quite memorable — for all the wrong reasons.
The actions of our government representatives in the country — from a certain Mr. Davis to those Navy SEALS in Abbottabad — have produced heaps of hostility. Yet more unsettling is how private American citizens have run into trouble. We’ve been enmeshed in scandal (think Greg Mortenson), detained (remember those photo-snapping Chicago hip hop singers?), and abducted (development worker Warren Weinstein’s captivity has now lasted nearly 18 months).
Even giving lectures can be perilous. Several years ago, the scholar Clifford May had a shoe thrown at him during a presentation at Karachi University.
Making matters worse are the powerful media narratives and hostile public opinion that constantly call into question American motives and actions. (It often seems every US aid worker in Pakistan is reflexively assumed to be a CIA agent.)
Despite this all, many Americans are making remarkable contributions to Pakistan. I present, in alphabetical order, 10 of these people here. They’re not motivated by any sense of duty arising from ancestral ties (on that note, I’ve written previously on the efforts of Pakistani-Americans). Rather, they’re simply driven by an abiding interest in and concern for Pakistan. Some names here will be familiar, others less so. Yet, they all deserve equal recognition.
A Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist, Adams has spoken of her love for Pakistan’s people, culture, and fashion (she wore a Pakistani dress at her wedding). She has served as an ambassador for Bags for Bliss, an NGO that empowers rural Pakistani women by teaching embroidery. Adams is now immersed in a project rarely pursued by Americans — she’s writing a novel about Pakistan, set in Lahore.
Though this Code Pink activist’s tactics are sometimes questionable (last year she disrupted John Brennan’s controversial Wilson Center speech), the determination with which Benjamin opposes drones strikes in Pakistan is remarkable. Last year, shrugging off great security risks, she joined Imran Khan’s anti-drones peace march. She has written of her encounters with civilian drone victims during the march.
A medical doctor-turned-entrepreneur, Bernstein’s Eniware company is developing inexpensive and portable sterilisation technology that would allow medical equipment to be sterilised when energy isn’t available. Pakistan is one of the target countries — and such an innovation could be invaluable in a nation with widespread power deficiencies and immense public health challenges.
4. Ethan Casey
A travel writer and journalist, Casey has authored two acclaimed non-fiction books on Pakistan (Ahmed Rashid and Mohsin Hamid, among others, have offered rave reviews). The work of Casey, who has spent extensive time in Pakistan (including a semester at BNU), is neither starry-eyed nor deeply cynical — the dominant characterisations of much of the then on-scholarly American writing on Pakistan.
5. Teresa Lister
Many Americans engage with Pakistani Fulbright students (after all, Pakistan constitutes the scholarship’s largest program). However, Lister took the exchange to new levels. After hosting students in America, she visited them in Pakistan. She chronicled her trip in a CNN blog post, which describes her joy when offered the gift of a goat in a small Sindh village. Lister plans to return to Pakistan soon.
The track record of Novogratz’s Acumen Fund is impressive enough. The Fund, which uses patient capital to invest in businesses that help the poor, has contributed about $15 million to housing, health, water, and agriculture projects in Pakistan. Yet, it also enjoys a sterling reputation — young Pakistanis (so I’m told) regard Acumen’s Pakistan office as a highly coveted and even hip place to seek employment.
7. Anne Reese
This psychologist’s work in Pakistan began in the 1990s, when she signed on with the NGO Rozan to set up the first program in Pakistan dealing with child sexual abuse. Later, she left for a career with the US State Department. However, most impressive to me is that after her retirement, she was asked to return to Pakistan — and she did, making several extended trips in recent years to run training programs for Rozan.
8. Cynthia Ritchie
She’s participated in a variety of humanitarian projects in Pakistan, from flood relief and health care efforts to the reconstruction of high schools and women’s health clinics. Ritchie has said she finds much in common between Pakistan and her native American South, and she now hopes to produce media projects that promote positive relations between Americans and Pakistanis.
9. Todd Shea
For years, he was a struggling musician. Then, after seeing television images of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, he flew to Pakistan to help with relief efforts. He’s been there ever since, running a hospital he opened several years ago. Through his humanitarian work and collaborations with top Pakistani musicians, he’s arguably become the most visible and admired American living in Pakistan.
10. Silbi Stainton
Unlike many development organisations, the Colorado-based Marshall Direct Fund focuses not on building schools in Pakistan, but on sustaining them — through investments in teacher training, scholarships, uniforms, and meals. Stainton, who directs MDF, will soon be heading up a new subsidiary — Peace of the Action, which aims to link Pakistani women entrepreneurs with the global market.
The implication from these brief portraits is clear: While relations between Islamabad and Washington may be floundering, relations between common Pakistanis and Americans are flourishing.
The author is the Senior Program Associate for South Asia at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. You can reach him at michael.kugelman@wilsoncenter.org
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Had the pleasure of meeting up with Todd Shea. A very earthly man.
It is a great honor to be included on this list although there are many others much more worthy. For my part I feel that each Pakistani student and individual who has come to America has contributed to the better understandings between the people of Pakistan and the United States. I always tell them that although we cannot change the entire world we can change our corner in it. The students who have come on the Fulbright Scholarship (and many other scholarships) contribute greatly to the understanding between our cultures by sharing their lives and perspectives. Because of this program I have had the pleasure of getting to know many Pakistani’s and their families. It has changed my own perspectives and in doing so I hope I have helped change others. A few people can make a very big difference when they work together.
Congratulations to ” DAWN ” for recognizing TEN ” GOOD PEOPLE ” who care about others. Citizens of ALL countries should endeavour to rise above petty politics and give good deeds it’s due.
The ” DAWN ” and ALL Pakistani newspapers, should set up a new feature in their City page, recognizing, encouraging and motivating Pakistani Volunteers, who are involved in similar social projects in Pakistan.
Pakistani’s young and old, should immerse themselves in local volunteer work, thus contibuting to their communities. Please do not leave everything to the government.
A great example in Pakistan are the Ismaili, Christian and Parsi communities.
Mr.Kugleman, what about Pakistanis contribution to America or rest of the world ? Us Pakistanis are among the most intelligent people in world, not to mention our sinceriety stems from our strong belief in Islam. Where would NASA or IBM or Google be without Pakistani engineers ? Where would the aeronautics industry be in Europe without us ? Above all, don’t forget that some of the best doctors in west are Pakistanis, so the US and English healthcare industry would be nowhere without Pakistani doctors contribution.
I have nothing but respect and admiration for these gentlemen and women, working for Pakistan, whereas they could have done anything else..
However, what about the one hundred and eighty million Pakistanis and other hundreds of millions of people belonging to the third world who do the bidding with their life and blood for the Americans, just so that their Wallmarts, McDonald Douglases, JP Morgans, Chevrons and Unocals keep churning their billions… ???
Issue is not with the people of cross nation, its about the dirty politics that plays a vital role to demolish the bridges….I hope we all can understand and work together for the betterment of each others.
Well said. In fact Allah, SWT is tests to see who helps His Creation regardless of race, religion, creed, color, rich or poor, this is what Islam is all about.
Can you also list 10 Pakistanis who are doing great things for America?
yes, I am working in America as an engineer helping US economy as well as my own economic situation. and ofcourse there are many Pakistanis investing in America’s future, i.e US born childrens education.
sounds very much indian diplomatic question……..
we have atleast not demaged America nor we have the power to do so…but open your brain eyes without being sarcastic what they have done for us .. being honest is condition Mr Sue
Another American who helps Pakistan…. the Pakistani American community who send billions to relative in Pakistan a percious foreign trade and source of income for thousands. I am a very proud Pakistani American. God bless America!
Lets understand one thing,the hate for America is for the people who make the policies,the people of America are the most kindest and caring.American public donates more money then the world combined,the earth quake,the floods,just regular people from the U S,old folks who don’t even have enough money to even buy their medicines sent money,lets be thankful,I know most will always see America as an enemy,but please don’t forget to thank them,these regular people have nothing to gain from helping.If you want to blame someone,blame the government of Pakistan and ask them whatever happened to millions upon millions of Dollars,not rupees,Dollars that were sent by the American people and the government.I am a Pakistani who has lived in United States for over 33 years,I may find a couple of negative things here and there but at the same time,I find hundreds of good things to focus on.So lets focus on the positives,it will make the world alot nicer place to live no matter what your land is called.