23 August 2007

When Pakistan was shaken by a massive earthquake on 8 October 2005, a humanitarian crisis of immense proportions unfolded:  Towns and villages became graveyards as thousands of lives were buried under the rubble.  “It was as if our entire community was swallowed whole by the earth,” said Syeda Bibi, a survivor who lost three children in the tragedy. “They are gone. Everything is destroyed. I am still breathing”.  

Within a matter of days, UNV commenced its operations in Pakistan.  Working together with UNDP, it immediately proposed a Flash Appeal project, which included the establishment of a National UNV scheme and deployment of UNV volunteers to UN Agencies, government bodies and NGOs.  UNV also supported the government of Pakistan in making the National Volunteer Movement launched in response to the humanitarian crisis work.  

National UNV volunteers were mobilized to cater for the needs of the displaced people for shelter, water and sanitation, nutrition and health care.  UNV volunteer Asghar Ali Shah managed the Kashtra Camp of 109 internally displaced families near Mansehra, with two support staff from the local authority.  When the monsoon rains started, the Kunhar River threatened to flood the camp and emergency relocation to Jaba camp was made.  Surrounding villages were flooded, and within a few weeks, the camp had grown to 663 families.  Shah was hospitalized after the move but returned to work after three days.  

“At one point we had 150 pregnant women in the camp and our only medical facility was a dispensary.  I had to fight to get a lady doctor and mobile labour room on site and an ambulance for emergencies.  I could not afford to be away,” said Shah.

 “UNV volunteers and the UNV programme are not merely about providing human resources or filling the gap, but in fact assisting and uplifting communities so that people can aspire for a better tomorrow,” said Haoliang Xu, UNDP’s Country Director in Pakistan.