Baptist World Aid Australia responds to Pakistan Floods

Update 14th November

In July and August, heavy monsoon rains triggered Pakistan’s worst flooding in 80 years. More than 1,750 people lost their lives and over 1.8 million lost their homes.

Overall, 20 million people have been affected by the flooding, more people than the Boxing Day Tsunami, the 2010 Haiti and 2005 Pakistan earthquakes combined. Many people have also lost their livelihoods as farms have been inundated, livestock lost, and roads and bridges destroyed. This has left millions stranded and cut off from supplies of food, water and medical assistance and the markets for their goods.

Baptist World Aid Australia launched an Emergency Relief appeal and the response was overwhelming with over $575,000 donated towards the relief effort.

$180,000 has gone to our partner Conscience International, a Christian agency specialising in emergency relief operations. Their response involves three phases in the regions of Punjab and the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). In the first phase, teams distributed essential food and other supplies to those affected. Phase two involved sending medical teams to affected villages to provide treatment and health education. In the final phase, Conscience International is installing water purification systems to provide safe water for villages whose water sources were destroyed.

The remaining money is helping fund a larger scale relief and rehabilitation program coordinated by Tearfund UK. This two-phase project is estimated to conclude in July 2012 and is a comprehensive and integrated response that addresses the short and longer term needs of those affected. The first phase of this project has been underway for several months and includes providing basic food, shelter and hygiene supplies, medical assistance and help in recovering livelihoods. Longer-term activities are focused around education, health, rebuilding livelihoods, repairing or replacing water and sanitation infrastructure, and disaster risk reduction training with local communities and organisations to help them be prepared for future disasters.

These two projects have already reached thousands of people in need and will continue to help families and communities recover after this disaster. Thank you to everyone who gave so generously to make this possible.

Please uphold the people of Pakistan in prayer, asking for God’s protection and provision. Pray for the safety of aid workers and that they would be able to work effectively despite the difficult and sometimes hostile conditions in Pakistan.

Baptist World Aid Austrlia has received the funds required for our planned projects in Pakistan. If you would like to make a donation to our general Emergency Relief Fund you can help us have funds available immediately to assist in future disasters.

 *Image courtesy of our partner Conscience International.