by Ruth Bücker, 2012/01/11
Famines caused by droughts and shortly after that heavy rainfalls that lead to floods. Extreme conditions, which result in sorrow and misery among those affected, and could hardly be any more contradictory. Is it not in times of drought that you yearn most strongly for rain?
It is obvious that in times of drought, water is a scarce good. Without water the farmers’ fields dry out. Their cattle die of thirst. The provision of drinking water becomes a fight against time. Although the next rain at first brings some alleviation from the problems, it often also abruptly results in more difficulties.
Last year, the succession of extreme drought and flooding also affected the people in the South Pakistani province of Sindh. While large parts of the province suffered from a lack of water and dryness until well into July, in August heavy monsoon rains once more resulted in devastating floods in these regions..
Within a period of only three days, the amount of precipitation pouring down onto the earth was three times as high as the amount that else was measured for an entire year. The ground that had been completely dried out during the months of drought could only take up a small share of the water. The larger share of the water masses flooded the fields and houses of millions of people.
Thanks to the cooperation that had been set up with our local partner PAK Mission Society (PMS), the relief measures that had been initiated after the flood of the century in 2010 could immediately be expanded and adjusted to the new circumstances.
Shortly before Christmas the employees of the local relief organisation reported that, thanks to the support from humedica, they had been able to offer help to 1,000 affected families by the end of November.
The flood victims received help in form of relief supply packages containing rice, oil, salt, sugar, milk powder and tea. Furthermore, they were provided with sanitary articles and mosquito nets for the entire family, as well as with water purification tablets and water cans.
Since summer 2010, humedica has been running sustainable reconstruction measures in Pakistan in order to offer long-term help to the people also beyond immediate disaster relief. We would like to thank you, dear friends and sponsors, for having made this possible so far.