More than half a year after Pakistan was struck by epic floods that claimed more than 2,000 lives and left 20 million homeless, AmeriCares relief work goes on, village by village, Thousands of people in remote villages are still in desperate need after their farmland, homes and livelihoods were destroyed.
AmeriCares relief worker, Riaz Khalil, recently visited the villages of Pir Sabaq, Tauda Cheena, Samanabad, and Akora Khattak to deliver supplies and check on the health needs of the hundreds of families still living in make-shift camps. The visits also often involve planning with elders, local authorities and village inhabitants to assess and plan rebuilding of health care services.
Every village has its own story – stories of survival and hope.
Pir Sabaq
Near
the banks of the Nowshera River and badly damaged by flooding that also knocked
out its access road, Pir Sabaq is a large village with many of its 3,000 families
still living in tents. Riaz met with village
elders and local authorities to coordinate an AmeriCares delivery of non-food
relief supplies including hygiene items, quilts and portable cooking stoves. More than 40 volunteers assisted with the
distribution of supplies to more than 800 families.
Tauda Cheena and
Samanabad
Along
with providing deliveries of relief supplies in Tauda Cheena – another village
severely damaged when the Swat River overflowed its banks – AmeriCares is
working to rehabilitate the flood-damaged health facility which serves seven
other area villages. Together with the
building contractors, Riaz visited the clinic site where materials were being
delivered so construction could begin.
As part of AmeriCares commitment to help communities rebuild sustainable
health care following a disaster, the three to four-month project includes
supplying basic equipment and other improvements to the facility.
In
the village of Samanabad and two other nearby smaller communities on the Swat
River bank, many houses are still in damaged condition. Homes nearest the river were completely
destroyed and families lost everything.
Riaz visited the area, which has a population of about 20,000 people,
and spoke with a social worker who explained that while many delegations from
other aid organizations and the government had visited after the disaster, the people
in this village had not received any assistance. Based on his needs assessment, 250 to 270
families are in desperate need of relief supplies, and Riaz is working with
village elders to bring AmeriCares aid as quickly as possible to them.
And
on through the flood-ravaged land, Riaz and AmeriCares continue the long-term
relief process – keeping promises, rebuilding lives.
