Many will remember that last year saw the worst natural disaster in Pakistan’s history, with 20 million people affected and an area the size of England flooded.
Sindh Province in the south of Pakistan was one of the areas of the country hardest hit.
Just as the people of Sindh were getting back on their feet, and getting to harvest whatever crops they were able to plant, they were hit again.
The focus of last year’s assistance had shifted from relief to recovery, with CWS-P/A engaged in helping farmers rehabilitate their fields, get ready for planting and then providing agricultural inputs, and helping small business owners rebuild their livelihoods, with a special focus on vulnerable women and female headed households.
Many of them lost everything in 2010, and were just beginning to rebuild their lives and reconstitute their longer term savings and assets.
Disaster preparedness activities and investments from last year were still underway and although some of the flood affected families were better prepared, it was unfortunately not yet sufficient to cope with the magnitude of this new disaster.
Once again, many families saw their homes inundated with water, and have lost most – if not all – of their assets. They are in dire need of our help. The way forward will definitely call for immediate relief as well as disaster risk reduction activities.
By Erik Thomas Johnson