Disaster Management Program

Pakistan has witnessed many catastrophes in the recent time. The foundation has started a program to help the affected people in the time of need. Efficiency and quick action are the key factors of the foundation’s disaster management program. The program follows The Sphere Project® standards to respond to the plight of people affected by disasters, principally through a set of guidelines that are set out in the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response.

Objectives

• Providing food items, NFIs, hygiene kits, shelter, education services and health care facilities to the people in the disaster hit areas.

• Prevent or reduce losses that occur due to hazards, disasters and emergencies

• Disaster preparedness in hazardous areas

• Organize training and awareness raising activities for capacity development of individuals in hazard-prone areas

• Rehabilitation at disaster hit areas

Program

Flood Relief August 2010 Pakistan (Assessment of the affected Area)

PIPHRO had a visit to the affected areas where many tragic things were seen. We witnessed the great destruction of the villages; more than 130 villages existed with all the movements of village life, but after the pitiless flood, all is vanished. There is water everywhere and symbols at some of the places shows that people used to live here. We also saw a tube well in the middle of the river which shows how many people used to live here and now it has become a part of the flowing water.

Situation Overview

The deadliest weather related disaster of 2010 is continuing to unfold in Pakistan since July 29, 2010, where heavy monsoon rains have triggered flooding that has left over 13,000 people dead. The death toll may reach in the thousands as flooding has spread throughout the country and countless are missing due to flash floods and landslides. On top of this, more monsoon rains and flooding are on the way according to Pakistan meteorological department which may continue till end of August.

Millions of homes in thousands of villages and towns have been destroyed. According to reports, over 20 Million people have been affected by this disaster – more than the 2004 Indonesia Tsunami, 2005 Pakistan Earthquake, and 2010 Haiti Earthquake combined and destruction is increasing each day.

Infrastructure such as dams, power stations, roads, bridges, schools, agriculture wells, and drinking water hand pumps have been severely damaged or destroyed. People are starving and dying with hunger, many of the organizations are focusing Northern part of Pakistan but very few have looked at the other side. Hope for Pakistan was the first to provide relief there.

“I will never forget the destruction and suffering I have witnessed today. In the past I have witnessed many natural disasters around the world, but nothing like this.”

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

How PIPHRO is Conducting Relief Work in Pakistan

PIPHRO implements all its projects in Pakistan through its community alliance which consist on other registered nonprofit organizations in Pakistan. These organizations help PIPHRO in providing manpower, packing and distribution team, and assisting in other activities. At PIPHRO, all employees are volunteers, getting no salaries, which means that all the funds straightly go for the charity.

Mass Destruction

As the pictures tells that people have lost their homes, and they are living in tents in the open areas. Their crops are all destroyed. They were all ready for the harvest in few days if flood would have been not there. They tried to save themselves and whatever they had, but the cruel flood took everything with it and left those empty handed. Below are some pictures which can give you an idea of destruction in the Southern part of Punjab Pakistan.

Relief Distribution

PIPHRO and partner friends actively collected and put together over 150 hygiene kits for the poor and needy. They distributed them to the affected people. People were hungry since many days and were really starving that some of them got seriously sick because of unavailability of food. More than food they are grieved for the loss of their dear ones. Many of them are still missing and some are found dead. All their crops have been destroyed; their livestock is all gone with the water, their machinery, their tools, everything is lost. Though this relief was nothing in comparison to their sufferance but it was enough to give hope and feed many hungry children for some days. Medical camp was settled there for the assistance and help of poor people, and children were given toys so that they can forget their sorrows and pain.

Distribution of Relief Package and Necessities

People were very happy to see the first relief that was provided to them after 2 weeks. No government or social person has attended their needs, nobody has visited them before. Their eyes were so filled with tears and joy of getting the relief. Old men and women were praying for the team’s long life and success of their mission. This was really heart touching when they told that they had everything is excess and even they used to give these things to others but today, due to this natural disaster, they are forced to live in open grounds and looking for help.

Distribution of Toys for the Children

The kids of the affected impoverished families, who are also suffering with their parents during these tough days of homelessness and looking for the shelter and food, they also need some activities to spend time with, which would divert their attention from harsh memories.

Keeping in mind the needs of these poor children, PIPHRO arranged for the toys for these lovely kids so that they could feel something normal in life and might enjoy some moments of happiness while playing with their fellow kids and toys.

Milk bags were also provided to these kids that they can get some energy in these days starvation and to keep them away from undernourishment. We could see the happiness on the faces of these cute kids which was a memorable moment of our life.

Free Medical Camp

Overall, Family Health Care treated 400 patients in the area and distributed free medicines to the affected people. This is in addition to the poor families and destitute patients from the district whom we treated during the same time

Acknowledgments

This special task proved to be a very successful initiative of PIPHRO for the flood victims of these unattended areas. We the management team of PIPHRO are very thankful to all the partners, volunteers, supporters and friends who helped us to make this project successful.