Appeal Target: US$ 126,828
Geneva, 6 August 2003
Dear Colleagues,
The recent rainfall in Sindh Province, Pakistan has been the heaviest for more than fifty years. Starting on 23 July, heavy rains pounded the province continuously for seven days rendering thousands of people homeless. Tharparkar is one of the most seriously affected districts in Sindh with Islamkot, Mihti and Diplo the worst hit areas in the district. The rain continues intermittently, adding to the miseries of the people without shelter or food supplies. More than ten thousand houses have been destroyed and the families are exposed to the elements and to potential epidemics mainly due to the lack of food and potable water.
Sindh Province has been declared a calamity area. More than 160 people have died due to the floods and thousands are injured or missing. The army has been using motor boats and helicopters to rescue people who are stranded. Public infrastructure like roads and communication systems along with electricity and water facilities have been badly interrupted or cut off due to the continuous rains. Low lying areas are completely under water and people are leaving their homes to find higher and safer places as the rains continue and the water levels rise.
ACT member Church World Service-Pakistan/Afghanistan will focus on immediate relief and is proposing assistance to 2,000 of the most vulnerable families in camps in the district of Tharparkar Taulka, Mithi and Diplo - the worst hit areas. Assistance will comprise of food and non-food packages (basic kitchen utensils) as well as health and hygiene kits. CWS is finalising the implementation of an ACT Appeal ASPK-21 -Sindh Drought - in the same district.
Project Completion Date: 30 September 2003
Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance Requested (US$)
| Total Appeal Target(s) |
126,828
|
| Less: Pledges/Contr. Recd. | |
| Balance Requested from ACT Network |
126,828
|
Please kindly send your contributions to the following ACT bank account:
Account Number - 240-432629.60A (USD)
Account Name: ACT - Action by Churches Together
UBS AG
8, rue du Rhône
P.O. Box 2600
1211 Geneva 4
SWITZERLAND
Swift address: UBSW CHZH12A
Please also inform the Finance Officer Jessie Kgoroeadira (direct tel. +4122/791.60.38, e-mail address jkg@act-intl.org) of all pledges/contributions and transfers, including funds sent direct to the implementers, now that the Pledge Form is no longer attached to the Appeal.
We would appreciate being informed of any intent to submit applications for EU, USAID and/or other back donor funding and the subsequent results. We thank you in advance for your kind cooperation.
Thor-Arne Prois
Director, ACT
I. REQUESTING ACT MEMBER
- Church World Service-Pakistan/Afghanistan
II. IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER & PARTNER INFORMATION
Description of ACT Member
Church World Service-Pakistan/Afghanistan (CWS-P/A) is registered as an International Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) with the Government of Pakistan. The organisation has been operational with its relief and development initiatives in Pakistan and Afghanistan, since 1954. It is a regional office of Church World Service-USA. CWS-P/A has offices in Lahore, Murree, Mansehra, Islamabad, Kabul and Jalalabad. The head office is based in Karachi. CWS-P/A works through and with, both faith-based and secular organisations, on pre and post disaster management and development aspects, for improvement of the quality of life of underprivileged communities.
Over the past few decades the organisation has striven to enhance access of the impoverished to basic amenities, such as potable water, food, health, shelter, education etc. Efforts have been focused on increasing participation of such families in the development process, for establishment of a democratic civil society and bridging the gap between policy makers and development implementers. CWS-P/A adheres to the belief that communities themselves must set the agenda for change. This approach encourages equal and even growth in communities.
CWS-P/A Disaster Response Programme has gained considerable experience over the years in Pakistan and Afghanistan when providing emergency assistance to vulnerable communities and families. In the same district of the present floods, CWS-P/A and its local partners have been implementing the Sindh Drought Appeal, ASKP21.
Description of ACT Member's Implementing Partner
Thardeep Rural Development Program (TRDP) is a registered non-profit organisation. It acquired the status of an independent organisation after working some years within the communities. TRDP's mission is to enlarge the possibilities of the people of Thar at the same time promoting equality and justice. TRDP concentrates on capacity building and the mobilising and organising of the communities at village level. At the institutional level, Thardeep board and team undertook intensive discussions and analysis to develop mission, objectives and systems that can reflect and complement the new identity of the organisation. Within the period of two years, TRDP has established credibility and emerged as a dynamic and viable organisation working with the people of Tharparkar. TRDP has the experience, sufficient skills, capacity and staff to implement the project..
At the moment, TRDP covers an area that includes 300 villages in Mithi and Chachro talukas. There are six, field unit offices located at Islamkot, Chachro, Chelhar, Mithi and Mithrio Bhatti. The head office operates from Mithi, which is the head quarters of the district of Tharparkar. TRDP General Body is the supreme forum for policy making and the Executive Director leads a team of 78 development professionals and works with a management team, comprising managers for Program Operations, Program Support, Finance and Administration and Community Physical Infrastructure.
III. DESCRIPTION OF EMERGENCY SITUATION
Current Situation
The recent rainfall in Sindh Province, Pakistan has been the heaviest for more than fifty years. Starting on 23 July, heavy rains pounded the province continuously for seven days rendering thousands of people homeless. Tharparkar is one of the most seriously affected districts in Sindh and the rain continues intermittently, adding to the miseries of the people without shelter or food supplies. More than ten thousand houses have been destroyed and the families are exposed to the elements and to potential epidemics mainly due to the lack of food and potable water. Those who planted seeds before the rains have lost any possibility of harvesting a crop and there is significant loss of livestock (particularly cattle and goats). Islamkot, Mihti and Diplo are the worst hit areas of Tharparkar district.
Sindh Province has been declared a calamity area and the statistics of those injured and missing are rising. More than 160 people have died due to the floods and thousands are injured or missing. Most of the roads in the area have either disappeared or are seriously damaged and the army has been using motor boats and helicopters to rescue people who are stranded. Communication systems along with electricity and water facilities have been badly interrupted or cut off due to the continuous rains. Low lying areas are completely under water and people are leaving their homes to find higher and safer places as the rains continue and the water levels rise. The heaviest rains affected areas of Badin, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Thatta, Tharparkar, Shikarpur, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah and Larkana.
According to the latest reports from the Relief Department, Government of Sindh, the number of affected villages now stands at 3,339 and the number of persons affected 857,716. The rains have destroyed 47,076 houses, while more than 93,984 houses have been damaged. 9,336 head of cattle have perished and 343,188 acres of agricultural land have been seriously affected.
Relief camps set up in schools, town halls and other government buildings were also filling rapidly, with more than 66,000 people being looked after in camps across the province. Rescue officials said many people remained stranded and there are not enough boats or helicopters to reach all these people.
Emergency has been declared in all hospitals and medical staff are not allowed to go on leave.
Description of Damages
More than 47,000 houses have collapsed and household materials such as cooking utensils, food items, and clothes etc have been washed away in the water. Many people have had to be taken to hospital as they have been injured in their houses as they collapsed.
Impact on Human Lives
The death toll from 24 days of flooding in Sindh Province is over 160 and this is expected to rise as more bodies are found as water recedes. There is a dire lack of potable water and food and water borne diseases are likely to break out soon, with malaria and snakebite also a possibility. Many people have not had the chance to recover from 8 years of drought which has reduced families to extreme poverty.
Project Locations
The project will be implemented in Tharparkar district of Sindh Province. This is in the same district, but different villages, where the Sindh Drought Appeals ASPK-21 has been implemented.
Current Security Situation
The current security situation is favourable and the area is easily accessible for the NGOs and development workers. It is expected that there will be no hindrance in implementing the project in a timely manner.
IV. GOAL & OBJECTIVES
Goal
The main goal of the project is to provide emergency assistance in the form of food and non food items to 2,000 vulnerable families in Tharparkar Taulka, Mithi and Diplo.
Objectives
- To assist 2,000 families with food packages and essential kitchen utensils.
- Protect families from further deterioration of health conditions by providing health and hygiene kits.
V. TARGETED BENEFICIARIES
The beneficiaries will be 2,000 families (about 14,400 individuals) from Tharparkar district. These families are originally from Badin, Thatta and Tharparkar. Due to heavy rains they were compelled to take shelter in sand inundated areas in Tharparkar. The priority will be to assist the most vulnerable women and children and those vulnerable families stranded in the relief camps.
Based on the following selection criteria families will be provided with assistance.
Selection Criteria
- Families whose houses have been totally destroyed
- Female headed families
- Families whose household materials have been washed away
- Families with disabled member/s.
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