Pakistan

In recent times there has been significant political and security turmoil in Pakistan.

Food prices have rocketed, resulting in regular food shortages and increasing malnutrition. By the end of the year, the country was on the brink of bankruptcy and turned to the IMF for a rescue package. It is likely that the conditions attached will lead to further hardship.

Urban and rural areas

Our work in urban and rural areas has focused on health and helping people earn a living. We also are continuing our post-flooding and post-earthquake rehabilitation work. In December 2008 we were involved in the high-profile launch of a DVD about HIV and AIDS.

Providing clean water

We have provided over 20,000 people with access to safe drinking water close to their homes in North West Frontier Province. Eight new water supply schemes provided clean water to more than 5,000 people in Punjab. Such projects reduce the spread of water-borne diseases and significantly improve the lives of women in particular, who often spend many hours fetching water.

Improving children’s health

We have organised regular health and hygiene sessions for over 2,000 working children in Quetta City. Daily supplementary food has been provided for 3,000 children. We have also organised vocational skills training for hundreds of  older working children. This helps them switch from hazardous forms of child labour to safer, more productive ways of earning a living.

Planting trees

We distributed fruit and forest trees so community members could establish nurseries and orchards, as well as rehabilitating arable land and irrigation systems. This work reached over 51,000 people

Coping with emergencies

When 150 villages were flooded in Southern Punjab, we distributed food, health and hygiene kits, jerry cans, buckets, tents and plastic sheeting to 5,600 people. We also provided essential supplies and 49 latrine slabs to 200 families following an earthquake in Balochistan.