ReliefWeb

Appeal Number: #699-E

Appeal Amount: $633,398

SITUATION: In late July and early August of this year, heavy monsoon rains caused flooding in many areas of Pakistan, particularly affecting the Peshawar District in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Rajanpur District in Punjab Province. Flooding has affected more than 500,000 people in these two provinces.

In Rajanpur District and the Taunsa Tehsil of Dera Ghazi Khan in southern Punjab province, flood waters swept away hundreds of mud houses. Some 150 villages were badly affected, rendering thousands of people homeless. Internally displaced persons have taken temporary shelter on roads, riverbanks and other higher places. In all, some 375,000 were affected. People were evacuated from nine villages in three tehsils (sub-districts), Rojhan, Jampur and Rajanpur.

The torrential rains in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) caused 41 deaths in different parts of the province, as well as in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas region. About 50 people were reported missing. In addition to this, many including women and children were injured due to destruction of houses. District Peshawar, Kohat and adjoining Khyber agency areas of Bara, Jamrud and Landi Kotal were the worst affected areas. More than 100 villages, including settlements and hamlets were inundated with flood waters affecting 25,000 families. One health and 18 education facilities were also damaged.

CWS RESPONSE: Church World Service with the support of its implementing partner Support Agency for Rural & Human Association Development provided food packages and non-food items including hygiene kits, shelter and plastic sheets for 250 families affected by flooding in Peshawar Town II and Jamrud Tehsil of Khyber Agency. CWS, working in concert with partner Norwegian Church Aid, assessed the situation in the affected areas and identified further needs of the population. The population is in need of reliable potable water sources; of support in rehabilitating agricultural production; and psycho-social assistance to youth in mitigating the effects of trauma.

Working with SARHAD and Strengthening Participatory Organization, another CWS partner, CWS plans to assist over 12,600 individuals (1,800 families) with the supply of 150 hand pumps and 3,600 jerry cans to improve the access to safe drinking water; with 1,800 hygiene kits and with 20 hygiene education awareness sessions to improve hygiene practices among the affected population. Further, CWS intends to extend agricultural inputs and technical assistance to 500 flood-affected farmers and provide disaster response standards training to humanitarian aid workers.

In Rajanpur: The approximate total number of primary beneficiaries receiving wheat seeds, hygiene kits / trainings will be more than 10,500 individuals -- 1,500 families -- while some of the project interventions (installation of hand pumps for clean drinking water) will assist an additional 20,000 individuals as secondary beneficiaries.

In NWFP/FATA: 300 families (2,100 individuals) that survived the floods will be the primary beneficiaries of the proposed intervention. The distribution will be done in Peshawar Town 1 -II and III of NWFP, and Bara & Jamrud of Khyber Agency, FATA.

Specifics:

1. Provide access to safe drinking water to flood affected community by installing 150 hand pumps (Rajanpur);

2. Ensure community safety from water-borne diseases and contamination by providing 3,600 jerry cans for water storage (Rajanpur);

3. Promote health hygiene by providing 1,800 hygiene kits to the selected families (Rajanpur);

4. Enhance the hygiene practices by conducting 20 regular hygiene awareness sessions (Rajanpur);

5. Increase knowledge of Humanitarian Aid worker on Sphere-Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response through Training of Trainers (1), introductory workshops on Sphere Standards (2), and session on quality (1) and monitoring (1) (both Rajanpur, FATA and district Peshawar);

6. To provide agricultural inputs and technical backstopping to 500 poor farmers with less than 5 acres of agricultural land, destroyed by floods (200 in Rajanpur and 300 in FATA and district Peshawar);

7. To establish meaningful and effective linkages among stakeholders with extensive networking to get their maximum support to achieve the planned objectives with inclusive approach (both Rajanpur, FATA and district Peshawar).

BUDGET: $633,398, which includes $47,725 for direct assistance during the initial crisis phase; $509,132 in total direct assistance for the rehabilitation phase (water assistance, kits, agricultural inputs, training); and $76,541 for operations costs.

HOW TO HELP: Contributions to support this emergency appeal may be sent to your denomination or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515. Please designate: 2008 Pakistan Floods, Appeal Number #699-E

For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is responding please visit www.churchworldservice.org or call the CWS Hotline, (800) 297-1516.

CWS Emergency Response Program special contacts: (212) 870-3151

Program Director: dderr@churchworldservice.org