by Shafique Khokhar

Ordinary people are providing tents and food, but resources are in short supply. Every day six or seven people die, driving people left with nothing to steal. Children too are helping out, says teacher Saiqa Rehmat. Meanwhile, AsiaNews continues its campaign in favour of displaced people.

Faisalabad (AsiaNews) – In the wake of recent rains that flooded a third of Pakistan, many people have mobilised to bring aid to the victims. Saiqa Rehmat, 47, is one of them.

A teacher from Faisalabad, she has run the New Horizon Kindergarten for Christian children in Warispura since 2013. Over 60 per cent of pupils in her school come from poor families and are provided with books and uniforms free of charge.

She also runs Lok Vehar Development, an outreach organisation that is now involved in setting up tents and donating food to the people displaced by the recent flooding.

Along with international agencies, Lok Vehar Development is helping people from flood-stricken villages.

Speaking to AsiaNews, she said she visited several locations in Sindh and Balochistan provinces, like Kashmore, Quetta, Jacobabad, Bagri, and Sukkur.

Every day six or seven people, including many children, die from contaminated water. Government water tankers are delivering water once a day, but it is not enough for everyone.

For those displaced by the floods, living conditions are very poor after more than 90 per cent of homes and crops were destroyed.

With so many left with nothing, crime has become rampant, so much as that humanitarian workers are forced to distribute aid under police protection in order not to be attacked.

"Even though we did our best, I still think we didn't do anything for these people," Saiqa lamented. “They need much more support, but the government does not have sufficient resources to help everyone.”

“Food, tents, mosquito nets, mats and medicines are in short supply. We need the support of the international community,” she added.

Women are the most vulnerable. “According to reports, 45,000 pregnant women who need assistance and are not receiving adequate medical care," Saiqa noted.

Meanwhile, consumer goods have quadrupled in price while some businesses are trying to take advantage of the situation.

Still, even children are trying to help. “In our school, children have made peace cards and messages for the children affected by the flood, to express solidarity and love,” the teacher explained. "They will take them to the children of southern Punjab in the coming days."

 

AsiaNews and the Fondazione Pime cannot be indifferent to Pakistan’s plight, so they decided to expand their AN05 campaign in support of Pakistani kiln factory workers to include flood victims.

Donations can be made online here or through the methods shown below, ALWAYS INDICATING AN05 PAKISTAN EMERGENCY as the reason:

- Online payment by credit card (Visa, Cartasì, Mastercard, American Express) or PayPal

- Bank transfer payable to Fondazione Pime Onlus, Crédit Agricole – IBAN IT89M0623001633000015111283

Please, always send an email to uam@pimemilano.com to confirm the transfer, with your name, address, fiscal code (codice fiscale) if a resident of Italy (or social security/national insurance number in other countries or equivalent), as well as your place and date of birth. This information is needed to obtain a tax credit receipt.

- Postal account No. 39208202 made out to Fondazione Pime Onlus.

- Cheque or bank draft made out to Fondazione Pime Onlus, mailed to Fondazione Pime Onlus, via Monte Rosa, 81 – 20149 Milan, Italy

• pakistan
• flooding
• humanitarian crisis
• diseases
• aid
• christian kindergarten
• saiqa rehmat
• asianews campaign