How has the situation changed since the start of the flooding?

The Khyber Pakhtunkwa region (KPK in the North West) was the first to be hit in early August. However, the floods gradually spread south to Sind like a wave moving slowly towards the sea. The Sind region and particularly the district of Thatta is still at the emergency stage. There are more than 200,000 people living in highly-precarious conditions in camps. The flooding is not over and most areas are still affected by the water. Needs in terms of health, food and shelter remain acute. We have also noted that some minorities do not have access to aid. In these situations, the most vulnerable still face a strong risk of disease and diarrhoea.

The situation is not improving because in the north people who have lost their homes and belongings will experience harsh winter conditions, including snow, within a matter of weeks.

What’s the difference between this and the association’s previous operations?

During a conflict, such as in the Gaza Strip in 2009, or an earthquake, like in Haiti last year, the number of people with injuries is very high. In a situation like Pakistan, there are very few injured people. We therefore need to adapt our operation by focusing more on basic needs, such as access to water, paying particular attention to ensure people with disabilities and the most vulnerable are able to access aid.

What is currently being done?

We distribute some 120,000 litres of water in Sind everyday, and 90,000 litres in KPK, meeting the needs of 60,000 people. We have also set up two water treatment plants. The first, which has just been delivered, will allow us to produce 80,000 litres of drinking water a day, supplying 23,000 people. We have also set up another plant capable of producing more than 7,000 litres of water; our teams also repair water conveyance systems. In addition, the distribution of water and purification tablets enables us to win the acceptance of local populations.

Clean-up activities are still underway. By involving villagers in clearing-up debris and plant waste, we help relaunch the economy and generate jobs, while helping people return to their homes.
For those most severely affected, we are also planning to set up a psychological support project with discussion groups managed by our teams to help them talk about their experiences.

Who are the beneficiaries?

During the initial emergency stage, everyone benefits from our distributions, without distinction. Gradually, however, the aid we provide is increasingly focused on the most vulnerable, that is, people with disabilities, children under five, people with chronic illnesses, but also isolated women, pregnant women, the elderly and minorities. The first disability and vulnerability focal point was set up with this in mind. It provides aid in local areas adapted to the needs of the most vulnerable. We are going to set up others shortly.

However, we will also start distributing walking aids (crutches, walking frames, etc.) over the next few days, ensure the accessibility of water supply systems, and build accessible toilets to improve hygiene conditions.

In Sindh, in the south, we will also provide assistance to minorities excluded from aid distributions. To identify these groups, we will perform assessments to more precisely determine their needs and the most severely affected sectors. This is one of the main reasons we decided to intervene in Thatta district, a badly affected area, but very remote, where very few NGOs are active.