HC Progress Report 2012


Greetings | East Africa | Partners | Plan Canada Joins | Pakistan | Japan | Updates from the Community


Overcoming the floods in Pakistan


Care - Pakistan, Oxfam Pakistan, Save - Pakistan kids on wall

“I was at home when the flood came and everything in our house was ruined, there was nothing left at all,” laments Basmeen, a widow and young mother. Ten-year old Nalia says, “We lost most of the things in the flood water, as we could not take our belongings with us to Hyderabad and when we came back, everything was either washed away or ruined by the water and mud.”

Today Basmeen is independent and supporting her family with her own sewing business, having received training and support from a CARE Canada vocational skills program. Nalia and her siblings are going to school at a temporary learning centre established by Save the Children. These are just a couple of the more than one million lives you have helped improve in flood-devastated Pakistan through your support for HUMANITARIAN COALITION members.

In July 2010, Pakistan was hit by the worst floods in memory. As much as one fifth of the country’s land – nearly 800,000 square kilometres – was inundated, and as many as twenty one million people were affected. The members of the HUMANITARIAN COALITION launched immediate responses, with the generous support of Canadians and the Government of Canada.

A year and a half later, the members of the HUMANITARIAN COALITION have reached more than one million people with life-saving immediate aid, and long-term programs to assist them in rebuilding their lives.

Working with local partners, CARE Canada has supported flood survivors in Pakistan with primary health services, shelter, emergency supplies, clean water, sanitation systems, hygiene education, food, and agricultural and livelihoods support. Women like Basmeen are receiving vocational training and support to start their own sewing businesses. CARE is also working to provide permanent shelters solutions for families that have lost their homes.

Oxfam has provided safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, engaged in education and awareness activities to promote good hygiene, and supplied families with non-food relief items like kitchen kits.

Save the Children has provided medical care, shelter materials, hygiene items, household kits, water purification sachets and food, livelihood support, nutrition, and water and sanitation activities.  Schools are being supported and Child Friendly Spaces have been opened across the country, providing children with psychosocial support and a safe place to play and socialize.  Save the Children is training health workers and working with communities to fight pneumonia and malnutrition.

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