Pakistan Progress Report April 2009
Islamic Relief PO Box 5640, Buena Park, CA 90622 www.irw.org (888) 479-4968 Tax ID#95-4453134
Islamic Relief in Pakistan Islamic Relief began working in Pakistan in 1992, implementing essential emergency relief and long-term development services. Islamic Relief initially started operations with the following projects: • • •
One-to-One Orphan Sponsorship Emergency aid and disaster relief Seasonal projects –Udhiyah/Qurbani during Eid-al-Adha and Ramadan food distributions
By 2001, activities expanded and increased in into other sectors of aid and geographical coverage and since then Islamic Relief in Pakistan has focusing on the following sectors: Sustainable Development Programs • • • •
Sustainable livelihoods Health and nutrition Water and sanitation Education
Humanitarian Aid Programs • •
Emergency relief response Disaster preparedness
Child Welfare Programs • •
Orphans sponsorship Child protection
Islamic Relief’s projects seek to uphold various principals, including coordination and collaboration with all stakeholders in the development and implementation of projects, and consultation with, and involvement of, local community leadership. Work and activities are undertaken using participatory approaches, ensuring complete transparency to guarantee a lasting impact, and establishing links with local and international aid agencies to ensure all efforts are collaborative and built on lessons learned from partners. Islamic Relief Pakistan is headquartered in Islamabad, with 12 other sub offices around the country and more than 400 staff members working to fulfill their goals. Islamic Relief has successfully implemented many relief and development projects including orphan support, prevention of blindness programs, education enhancement programs and even drought relief in Baluchistan. Islamic Relief has responded to numerous disasters in Pakistan, including earthquakes, droughts, cyclones, and floods. Islamic Relief PO Box 5640, Buena Park, CA 90622 www.irw.org (888) 479-4968 Tax ID#95-4453134
Islamic Relief has raised over $70 million in aid worldwide (including in-kind donations) to assist victims of the 2005 earthquake, which had an immensely devastating impact on Pakistan. This money has gone to support and benefit over 340,000 earthquake victims with emergency relief including food, water, shelter and medical supplies. Long before other organizations dared to penetrate the tribal lands of interior Baluchistan, Islamic Relief had been working closely with those desert communities reversing years of isolation with community organizing, water supply projects, health initiatives and disaster response. Over the years, Islamic Relief has spent over $2.6 million on development projects in Baluchistan benefitting over 120,000 people. In autumn of 2008, tensions along the Pakistan/Afghanistan border increased in the north-west, which resulted in thousands of displaced people fleeing for their safety. In collaboration with the United Nations, Islamic Relief still provides emergency shelter, water and sanitation, health facilities and food to thousands of internally displaced peoples (IDPs) in Jallozai camp, situated on the outskirts of Peshawar.
Health Islamic Relief aims to improve the health and standard-of-living for the poorest segments of the world’s population. Islamic Relief hopes to achieve this goal through a support program based on providing physical, material and human resources to ensure the equitable and effective delivery of health programs. In Pakistan, a vast majority of the population living in rural areas has little to no access to basic health care. Services are available far away from the villages, and many cannot afford to take their sick ones to the urban hospitals or health facilities due to poverty and the geographical terrain. Low nutrition rate is another issue that destitute people are facing in rural parts of Pakistan, mainly in Baluchistan and Kashmir. Among the vulnerable groups are children, women and the elderly. Years of severe drought in Baluchistan and a series of natural calamities in Kashmir have resulted in low nutrition levels and lack of access to proper healthcare. Projects: •
Neelum Valley Health Program (Pakistan-administered Kashmir) o Specializes in mother-child healthcare o Training of male and female community health workers o Benefitting over 43,000 individuals
Islamic Relief PO Box 5640, Buena Park, CA 90622 www.irw.org (888) 479-4968 Tax ID#95-4453134
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Prevention of Blindness o Aims to reduce blindness and visual impairment o Free eye-care camps in rural Punjab, NWFP and Kashmir
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Basic Health Units (BHUs) in Pakistan-administered Kashmir o Construction and equipping three health centers
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Heath services in Jallozai camp o Camp children receiving polio and measles vaccines o Delivery of 24/7 comprehensive primary health care and basic emergency obstetrics care services o Mobile health unit o Referral and ambulance services to local hospitals
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12 Health Centers in Kharan and Chagai, Baluchistan o 3,400 families provided with health, hygiene and clean water education sessions o Construction of restrooms and drainage facilities benefitting 6,000 families
Millions in Aid Relief Sent to Pakistan Islamic Relief raised over $70 million worldwide, of which $20 million came from donors in the US for emergency relief and development projects to assist the victims of the 2005 earthquake. Water and Sanitation Islamic Relief’s goals are to ensure greater access to quality water, the provision of sanitation facilities, the promotion of good hygiene practices and to reduce fatalities (and illnesses) that are the result of waterborne diseases. Projects: •
Kharan Water Project o Provides water pumps to community members allowing them access to clean water in the vicinity of their villages o Trainings on proper water use and management have been undertaken and community based committees have been trained to continue this work o Increased access to clean drinking water is provided in 30 villages, benefitting 750 households with a population of approximately 5,000
Islamic Relief PO Box 5640, Buena Park, CA 90622 www.irw.org (888) 479-4968 Tax ID#95-4453134
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Kashmir Community Water & Sanitation Project o Improves access to clean drinking water and sanitation for 4,000 rural households situated in 100 communities in Neelum Valley
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Baluchistan Water Rehabilitation Development Project
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Bagh Water Project
Education Acquiring a basic education is not only a fundamental right, but also a powerful tool for sustainable human development that empowers people and enhances their capabilities. In Pakistan, around 6 million children aged five to nine have no access to basic schooling, and only 52 percent of those enrolled in first grade complete their primary education. The low literacy rate creates challenges for the government to achieve its goals under the “Education for All” policy. Low enrollment, high dropout rates and poor quality of education with prominent gender disparity leads to high rates of illiteracy in Pakistan, especially Baluchistan. To address the challenges in the education sector, Islamic Relief in Pakistan provides the following services: • • •
Reconstruction of government schools affected by the earthquake Establishment of access to primary schooling to “out-of-school children” Provision of learning material, teachers’ trainings and parents’ involvement in school affairs to enhance quality of education and gender equity
Through these strategies, Islamic Relief aims to empower communities through the improvement of access to, as well as the quality of education. Following the devastating October 2005 earthquake that destroyed hundreds of schools in the affected regions and traumatized children, Islamic Relief has helped 1,000 children in Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Neelum Valley go back to school by providing large tents suitable for school lessons, furniture, school bags and educational tools. Orphan Support Islamic Relief has been caring for orphans in Pakistan since opening its Pakistan office in 1992. This support was multiplied following the October 2005 earthquake in which many children lost one or both parents.
Islamic Relief PO Box 5640, Buena Park, CA 90622 www.irw.org (888) 479-4968 Tax ID#95-4453134
Through Islamic Relief’s One-to-One Orphan Sponsorship program, individual donors are able to sponsor a child and meet his or her living costs including school fees, uniforms, schoolbooks and medical care. The child’s guardian is also given support to ensure the welfare of the child is not compromised in any way. Presently, nearly 3,000 orphans are being sponsored in Pakistan and Pakistanadministered Kashmir. For monitoring and evaluation purposes, regular visits are made to the homes of the orphans. As of April 2009, 2,500 orphan families have been assisted by Islamic Relief to open bank accounts through which the sponsorship money is transferred. “I thought my life had ended when my father died during the earthquake when the roof collapsed on him,” says 13-year-old Haroon Ahmad Niazi who is an Islamic Relief sponsored orphan.. “But thanks to Islamic Relief, I am back in school and working towards a good education and hopefully one day will become a policeman like my father.” Emergency Relief Response Islamic Relief has been at the forefront of responding to natural and manmade disasters in Pakistan by providing essential relief and development services. Support to internally displaced persons (IDPs) is central to Islamic Relief’s international strategic objective – the alleviation of suffering of the world’s poorest populations and the restoration of their dignity. Islamic Relief is aiming to help them access opportunities to shape themselves a better and more productive future. Following the October 2005 earthquake, Islamic Relief’s response efforts included the following: • • • • •
Immediately provided 24,000 earthquake-resistant shelters for families in Pakistan Administered Kashmir. Provision of emergency food, water and sanitation facilities, health services, education and child protection to the earthquake victims. Supporting the reconstruction of 4,500 permanent houses in the earthquakeaffected areas. Provided shelter and emergency relief items to over 450 families in the Kharan region following the 2007 floods in Baluchistan. Additional shelters and emergency aid to over 124 families in Chagai, distributed shelter kits to over 16,000 individuals in Baluchistan.
• Other emergency response beneficiaries have included: • 2,000 families affected by floods in the Northwest Frontier Province in the summer of 2008 provided with kitchen sets, water cans, hygiene kits, food, and shelter kits. • Thousands of IDPs in Jallozai provided with water supply and sanitation facilities, camp development and management, healthcare and nutrition, and education. Islamic Relief PO Box 5640, Buena Park, CA 90622 www.irw.org (888) 479-4968 Tax ID#95-4453134
Community Development Projects Islamic Relief has been working with communities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir for almost a decade. During this time, local groups known as Community Organizations (COs) have been set up to bring people together, discuss their problems and find ways of solving them. When the October 2005 earthquake struck, Islamic Relief mobilized these COs once again and supported them in rising to the challenge of rebuilding their lives. Skill training, essential resources, and financial support were provided. From training people on how to construct temporary shelters to helping them restart their businesses, Islamic Relief worked with local COs to help many locals get back on their feet after the calamity. Current Community Development Projects: • • •
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Sustainable Livelihoods Program Neelum Valley Integrated Development Program Small Scale Enterprise Development Program o Benefitting more than 20,000 people through micro-credit loans to start businesses and income generation Integrated Development Program, Kashmir and Baluchistan o Over 140 COs formed since 2006 o Programs include income generation projects, medical camps, health and hygiene sessions Cash for Work Program o Employed locals to help rebuild damaged areas of Pakistan which includes salvaging material from the rubble, retaining walls, building irrigation channels, and leveling land o More than 66,000 have benefitted so far
Seasonal Projects Islamic Relief is taking efforts to support poor and vulnerable families during spiritual and festive seasons. Some of Islamic Relief’s seasonal projects include wide scale food distribution during Ramadan and distribution of meat during Udhiyah/Qurbani on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha. In rural Pakistan, many families do not have refrigerators to store meat. For that reason, Islamic Relief provides canned (halal) meat in remote areas of Pakistan and Pakistanadministered Kashmir. Islamic Relief awarded the “Star of Dedication” for its efforts in Pakistan
Islamic Relief PO Box 5640, Buena Park, CA 90622 www.irw.org (888) 479-4968 Tax ID#95-4453134
The devastating earthquake of October 2005 prompted Islamic Relief to launch the largest relief operation in its history. With the help of donors, supporters, partner organizations, and the affected community on the ground, Islamic Relief provided humanitarian assistance to over 300,000 people in the districts of Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Poonch and Neelum Valley in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The government of Pakistan awarded the “Sitar-i-Isaar” (Star of Dedication) to Islamic Relief Pakistan for its efforts in helping victims of the devastating earthquake. The Pakistani government assured Islamic Relief that it will always be a supportive partner of its efforts. Prince Charles of Wales commends Islamic Relief’s work in Pakistan “I have nothing but the greatest admiration for the way in which Islamic Relief responds to these dreadful disasters. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Islamic Relief and other organizations like them.” About Islamic Relief Islamic Relief USA (www.irw.org) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization, incorporated in the state of California in 1993. We are a member of the Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) family, an international relief and development organization, striving to alleviate the poverty and suffering of the world’s poorest people. Over the past 23 years, IRW has expanded greatly, with permanent locations in over 30 countries worldwide. Islamic Relief operates a wide variety of projects, including education and training, water and sanitation, income generation, orphan support, health and nutrition, and emergency relief. For the sixth consecutive year, Islamic Relief USA has been recognized as a 4-star charity by Charity Navigator, its highest rating. Charity Navigator is America’s largest charity evaluator.
Islamic Relief PO Box 5640, Buena Park, CA 90622 www.irw.org (888) 479-4968 Tax ID#95-4453134