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In this report, you will find an overview of Plan Pakistan's programme strategy for 2011 along with details of our achievements and a breakdown of our finances.

Flood-hit farmers in the arid village of Qaim Khan, Badin attend an outdoor meeting near a flooded paddy field.

23 November 2011: Farmer Noor Muhammad was hit with the worst disaster in nearly 5 decades of his life when the monsoon rains and floods in August/September destroyed his home and damaged his rice and cotton crops in a remote village in Pakistan’s southeastern province of Sindh.

Left in heavy debt with inundated waters in his 20 acres of spoiled cotton and rotten paddies, Muhammad isn’t sure what to do next as his loan shark is demanding an interest repayment, which is charged at a monthly rate of 10% for the principle of 450,000 rupees ($5,150).

Crop crisis

“I have lost all my crops and am now left with a big pile of debt,” says father-of-six Muhammad in Qaim Khan village, Badin. 

“I can’t grow anything as the flood water is not receding and I have no money to buy seeds. I may have to sell some livestock to repay some debt and borrow a bigger loan for a new crop. Or I will have to look for a labour job in town to repay some loan and borrow a bigger one.”

Muhammad is among 3,000,000 flood-hit and food-insecure people in districts of Sindh and adjacent province Balochistan who urgently require agricultural support to enable them to resume food production and income-generation activities, the UN humanitarian office OCHA said in its Nov 18 situation report. 

Even if the situation improves, Muhammad, like tens of thousands of other flood-hit farmers in Sindh, will be late for the new planting season, which means the yields will be significantly lower than if they had started planting on time.

Losing ground

Every planting day missed after the optimum planting period (15 November for early planting; 1 December for late) may result in the loss of 16kg of wheat per acre per day, according to the UNOCHA situation report.

This year heavy rains and floods in late August and early-September have killed some 200 people and made 6.8 million homeless or displaced across Pakistan. Out of those affected people, 1.8 million of them live in Badin, the worst-hit region. 

Plan, which has raised $2,700,000 out of $6,300,000 required to benefit close to 150,000 people, is also concerned that it may have to scale back its work on food security, education, shelter and water and sanitation if the required funding needs are not met.

“Thousands of families have been affected by the floods and are in desperate need of assistance. But if we don't get the funding we require we won't be able to assist those people to the best of our abilities,” says Plan Pakistan acting country director Rashid Javed.

Whether Noor Muhammad, who is already among the 80,000 people Plan and local partner HANDS are providing 200,000 liters of safe drinking water to daily, will be able to start his new planting season depends on whether Plan and other aid agencies will receive the funding they need.

Find out more about Plan's work in Pakistan or check out Plan's photos of the crisis.

Some 80,000 people in Badin now receive 200,000 litres of safe, drinking water every day.

November 2011: Jaan Mohamma, 11, had to walk many kilometres from his home to fetch water from wells after floods in August and September contaminated the water supply in his village in Badin, a district in southern Pakistan’s disaster-prone Sindh province.

“It was too salty for me to drink. For some people who drank it, they caught diarrhoea,” says Jaan as he fills up his jerry can with clean, drinkable water from a blue tank provided by Plan Pakistan and local partner HANDS.

“Now I am happy that the water source is so close to home,” says Jaan, who now doesn’t have to sacrifice his school time for water fetching.

Deep impact

Heavy rains and floods in late August and early-September have killed some 200 people and made 6.8 million homeless or displaced across Pakistan. Out of those affected people, 1.8 million of them live in Badin, the worst-hit region. 

Jaan is among the 80,000 people Plan and HANDS are providing 200,000 litres of safe drinking water to daily as the availability of safe drinking water has been a major challenge in Badin. Only 20 out of 78 water sources remain usable after the heavy rainfall. The situation has somewhat improved as the local government has fixed its water filtration plants and some INGOs have installed new ones. 

Plan, HANDS and UNICEF have teamed up to ensure clean water is trucked in daily to fill water tanks in remote villages for people to have clean, drinkable water. There is a phone number and a message in local Sindhi language on each water tank for the villagers to call for advice.

All hands on deck

With Plan’s support, HANDS has put up Sindhi slogans of health awareness in villages and on radio to educate people on how to keep themselves and their neighbourhood clean.

“Thanks to clean water from Plan, UNICEF and HANDS, many of us no longer have sore throats or upset stomachs from bad water,” says village chief Mohammad Ali.

Opportunities for sanitation interventions are limited in areas that are still inundated and funding remains a major bottleneck for many agencies working to initiate and scale up the water, sanitation and hygiene response, the UN Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned in its latest situation report 4 November.

“More funds are needed to support the large returnee population and prevent an outbreak of disease as most of the resources in the villages are damaged and not functional, therefore putting the population at risk. If additional funds are not available immediately, several Cluster members will run out of resources in a few weeks.”

Mohammad Ali Lund with his family in their tent provided by Plan.

November 2011: Farmer Mohammad Idrees Lund, 28, lost most of his 12-animal livestock when flood waters hit his home and farmland in Badin, an arid district in southern Pakistan’s Sindh province, in August and September.

Left with only two goats, a tiny plot of flooded land and a damaged hut, Idrees is optimistic he will be able to lead his family to emerge stronger than before.

“I lost nearly everything – two buffaloes to milk and goats to sell to market. But thanks to God, I still have my family with me,” said the father of 6, whose mud house lost its hay-thatched roof in the floods that have killed some 200 people and made 6.8 million people homeless or displaced across Pakistan.

Established support

Idrees is among 16,000 families Plan and its partner HANDS have provided with health and hygiene kits in Badin where 1.8 million people were hit by the floods. He is also among the 80,000 people Plan and HANDS are providing 200,000 litres of safe drinking water to daily.

Idrees and 10 other families with small children now live in tents made of tarpaulin given to them by Plan. Next to him is his brother Mohammad Ali Lund, a 45-year-old taxi driver and farm labourer, who has 12 children and 14 grandchildren.

Due to the flood waters, Ali’s main occupational tool, his two-decade-old Suzuki taxi cab, lost its rear window and needs a major repair.

Mouths to feed

Although Ali’s six adult children have moved out to live elsewhere, Ali still has more than 10 mouths to feed. He has been living on a government cash transfer of 10,000 rupee ($114) and relief supplies from Plan and other NGOs. Food and cash will be depleted soon if he doesn’t look for work.

“I am happy to do any work, I’m looking for a job on a farm in the village or a labour job in town to have some money to feed my children and rebuild our home,” Ali said.

The problem is that not many jobs will be available for Idrees and Ali as the new growing season has been delayed by the still-standing flood water and the saline soil caused by breached canals meant to drain salt water to the sea.

Plan Pakistan is hoping to fill this gap with a “cash for work” project. Through this project, Plan will be helping families to generate income to support their children while at the same time providing an opportunity to repair and restore essential community services that were damaged by the floods.

Kamla and her healthy newborn son.

November 2011: When the second wave of floods hit Badin in the first week of September, Kamla, 30, was expecting her second child, a baby boy, who was due to be born at anytime. When the rains started, she started to worry as her house in Punjab Chak village had a thatched roof and only one room so it would be difficult for her to deliver the baby while her family sheltered inside.

When the water level started rising, Kamla and her family watched as their belongings became submerged. Before the floods she had planned for a local midwife to assist with the delivery at home, but with no dry space this wasn’t going to be possible.

“I was so scared, didn’t know what to do. I could feel that the time for delivery was near, but all I could see around me was water. Then I left it to fate as this whole thing was beyond my understanding.” Kamla said.

Community spirit

Just when all hope appeared lost, Kamla’s neighbours came to the rescue and built her a raft-like structure out of timber. The family escaped the water and reached dry ground where they were able to find a midwife, who had also been forced out of her home. 

“I delivered my baby next day, when it was still raining but I had shelter above my head,” she said.

That shelter had been supplied by Plan Pakistan who had registered families in Badin and distributed canvas sheets to people displaced by the floods. 

“Had it not been for this shelter, I don’t know what I would have done,” said Kamla, who delivered a healthy baby boy.

Reaching out

Plan has also distributed 5,000 health and hygiene kits to affected families in Badin. These kits contain bath soap, washing soap, disinfectant and other materials needed for everyday cleanliness. Plan’s partner staff visited affected communities and gave health and hygiene training sessions to talk about the importance of using the materials provided.

‘I use soap and Dettol to clean my baby every day so that he is healthy. I know that if I keep my child clean he will be healthy and not fall sick,” added Kamla.

Find out more about Plan's flood response in Pakistan.

Thousands of families have been displaced by the floods.

17 October 2011: Abbu is a father of 7 from the flood-affected Tandobago area of Badin district in Sindh, Pakistan. Out of 6.8 million affected by the floods in Pakistan, Badin alone has 1.8 million. Abbu has had to move out of the flooded area with his wife and children and 15 other families of his relatives to a Plan Camp in Makli, Thatta district.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw gallons of water accumulated in the surrounding area and it was continuously rising. That had never happened to us before,” says Abbu, 35.

Calm before the storm

Before the floods, Abbu owned a mud hut and worked on a farm owned by a local landlord. 

Badin was flooded during the first spell of heavy rains in the middle of August. Breaches in one of the 2 major drains cutting across Badin further exacerbated the situation.

Flood waters inundated Abbu’s 15 acres of cotton fields and 4 fields of chilies. His crops were completely destroyed just when they were ready to be harvested. Abbu decided to stay on with his family, thinking the worst was over, but then the second spell of rains arrived in the first week of September.

Abbu and his family decided to stay on once more, despite being warned by local authorities to evacuate. A breach in a drain then rapidly flooded the area where Abbu lived.

"The water level was continuously rising, and we had to leave everything behind and finally move out of the area to save our lives," he says. 

Abbu’s house was completely flooded and the only assets he could save were 20 goats and 12 cows.

Displaced

With the water-levels rising fast, Abbu and his family walked for miles before they reached a main road on higher ground. Government trucks then transported them to Makli Thatta where Plan Pakistan has set up camps for families displaced by floods.

“Our children were hungry and we had no shelter from rain. Here we are getting food to eat and the camp has protected us from rain,” says Abbu.

The shelter camp in Thatta is catering to 4,000 internally displaced persons from Badin. The camp has 100 tents, each covering an area of 625 square-feet. The organisation has also created four child-friendly spaces for children where they can play with each other and be themselves in a safe environment. 

“In my village my daughters never went to school as there were no teachers, here in the camp school they are attending classes regularly,” says Abbu.

Abbu and his family are now waiting to return to their village.

Please donate to the Pakistan floods appeal.

29 September 2011:  Flooding in southern Pakistan has impacted the lives of 6,800,000 people. Plan has launched an emergency appeal to help families affected by the floods and a team is on the ground in Badin district, where 1,800,000 people's lives have been disrupted.

Plan has set up a camp in Badin for 2,000 displaced people and is providing safe water to more than 22,000 people in the surrounding area. Getting clean water to affected communities is vital for decreasing the risk of diseases spreading.

The flooding has been triggered by massive amounts of rainfall -- 810mm in the last few months compared to an average 30-40mm per year -- and the flood water is expected to remain for months.

Please donate to the Pakistan floods appeal.

Plan aid is reaching thousands of families in flood-hit Pakistan

26 September 2011: Plan has launched an emergency appeal to help families caught up in the floods that are now affecting more than 6,800,000 people across southern Pakistan.

Our teams have set up a camp for 2,000 people displaced by floods in Badin district and have begun providing safe water and child protection to over 22,000 people in surrounding communities. 

Please support our vital work and make a donation to the Pakistan floods appeal today.

Child abuse risk

“Our biggest concern now is for thousands of children who are living in temporary camps by the side of the road. Clean water is scarce and there is a real risk diseases will spread. Children, especially girls are extremely vulnerable to abuse in these crowded camps and parents need help to ensure their children are protected,” said Plan Pakistan Country Director Haider Yaqub.

In Badin district alone, half a million families have lost their houses, animals and belongings. This district has seen 810mm of rain in the last months compared to the normal trend of 30-40mm per year.

Preventing disease

“While the normal monsoon season is now over, the flood water is expected to remain for months to come making the prevention of water-borne diseases a top priority, especially for children under 5. Our teams are distributing hygiene kits, installing latrines and providing mosquito nets to families in Badin,” said Haider.

Vital experience

Last year, 7,500,000 people in Sindh province were affected by devastating floods. 

“Our experience of responding to the mammoth floods last year has helped us to respond quickly to the needs of those displaced and affected by floods. However, we are all worried that we will see a repeat of last year’s devastation just as some communities were beginning to return to normal,” said Haider.

Donate to the Pakistan floods appeal today.

Learn about Plan’s response to the 2010 Pakistan floods

Plan supported the establishment of cash-for-work schemes, paying people affected by the floods to carry out work on public infrastructure

Work for more than 3,500 affected labourers

After nearly a dozen successful completed projects, fifteen more are in the planning process, and another five are already under way, providing employment for a further 2,300 people across the worst-affected areas in the southern districts of Punjab and Sindh.

The beneficiaries are mostly landless labourers who lost their livelihoods when the floods wiped out the crops across a fifth of the country last July. The International Labour Organization estimated more than 5.3 million jobs were lost, in the agricultural and other sectors.

As of August 2011, Plan and its local partners have already completed 11 schemes involving 1,239 workers in the area, providing much-needed employment as well as repairing and improving the infrastructure.

Providing income, restoring infrastructure

Dignity and independence

Improving future opportunities

In a nearby village, Shamim Bibi was recruited by a Plan partner to help clear a silted drainage canal and restore cropland. Bibi is an honorific, the women are not related.

The 30-year-old single mother said she has been able to buy animal feed and grain for a whole year, with the first money she ever earned for herself. Her relations with her brothers, who used to support her, have also improved. “Life has never been better,” she said.

Like Sardar, she says she has also managed to save money for her children's eduction. “My son can go to school now,” she said, adding that she hoped he would not be a labourer like her.

In July 2010, heavy monsoon rains triggered the worst floods to hit Pakistan in modern history, leaving a fifth of the country under water and displacing millions. 

This report documents Plan's response - from providing emergency relief for a quarter of a million children and adults to building up recovery and rehabilitation support to over 1,000,000 people in the worst affected areas.

In the immediate aftermath of the floods, Plan helped provide food, shelter, safe water and places for children to play and heal. Six months on, Plan is helping 58,000 children get back to school in South Punjab.

Rihana has been inspired by the nurse who helped her to pursue a career in nursing

Giving something back

At first, like many Pakistani children, 11-year-old Rihana did not want to go back to school, fearing she would be separated from her family if there was another disaster.

However when Rihana did return to the normalcy and routine of school just a few months after the floods, she rediscovered happiness and hope.

This positive shift in thinking is demonstrative that Rihana, as well as other children in the village of Bakha Chokha, are worrying less about the past and are now thinking about their future.

“I would be so happy if I were given the opportunity to become a nurse, so I could help millions of children,” said 11 year-old Rihana, a fifth grade student. “I was inspired by a nurse who helped flood victims in refugee camps.”

Dreams of the future

The army, the government and international humanitarian organisations have provided the children of Bakha Chokha with new school uniforms and although their school, which was damaged under 3 metres of water, is not fully repaired, they have resumed their education.

Tasleem, 15, managed to save some of her textbooks when the flood waters rose

Some children, like Tasleem, 15, managed to save some of her textbooks when the floodwaters rose.

“I was panicked. I was afraid. I ran outside, carrying books. I cried for my mother. I tried to run for my life and not to drown,” she said.

Now back at school, Tasleem dreams of becoming a science teacher for her village.

“I want the kids in my village to know how clever they are. I want children from Bakha Chokha to be world famous scientists.”

Safe schools

Through their studies, children like those in Bakha Chokha have moved forward from the distress caused by the floods, and now hope that the government and international organisations will reconstruct their flood-damaged school buildings. There are 408,000 children now registered as students in Muzaffargarh’s 2,200 schools.

“Wherever we study, I don’t think it will be a problem, as long as we can continue to learn,” said a student named Sideeq. “But please help us rebuild our schools, so we can feel safe and comfortable while we study.”

Children in Bakha Chokha with student Sideeq

Creating secure communities

Many families in South Punjab have returned to their villages, and Plan has given immediate assistance to help them survive the winter. Plan’s focus is now shifting to helping people build normal lives, and for children, that means fixing their schools.

“There has been widespread damage to school buildings and classrooms, as well as the loss of school equipment. Children have lost out on months of education and Plan’s priority is now to get these children back learning,” says Haider Yaqub, Plan’s country director in Pakistan.

“And while it’s a priority to get children back to school, it is also vital we ensure these children are receiving a quality education in safe and secure surroundings. Plan has been working with communities, teachers and the local districts to strengthen education systems and also provide safe spaces where children can feel life has returned to normal for them.”

Find out more about Plan’s child-friendly spaces in Pakistan.

Many children living in the camps for displaced people are experiencing nightmares and flashbacks. Trained Plan staff members are running psychosocial sessions, described as emotional first aid to help them cope.

Zubaida was afraid of losing her entire family

Family reunions

Millions across Pakistan have struggled to piece their lives together and return to normalcy. For many children, reunions with friends and family were enough to mend the pain wrought by the floods, but in some communities like the Layyah district, children and their families still struggle to move on.

Just before the floods hit, families in Layyah were glued to the radio as a broadcast announced that the entire population of Layyah had to immediately leave because there would be huge floods. Panic set in.

“I was afraid my entire family would die,” said 8 year-old Zubaida.

Emotional first aid

Countless children around Pakistan are living with these memories and the associated fear. While children can be surprisingly resilient in disaster situations, it is essential that they receive the proper care and support to recover from their experiences. Child-friendly spaces are designed to do just this by providing a safe place where psychosocial support can be delivered through structured and supervised play and learning activities.

Plan has helped create 162 child-friendly spaces

Child-friendly spaces

“Disaster situations often lead to neglect, discrimination or violation of rights and thus children’s rights need focused attention,” said Unni Krishnan, Plan’s disaster response policy coordinator. “Child-friendly space is one key initiative that helps to provide security and protection for children.”

Since the floods began, Plan has teamed up with the Indus Consortium which comprises the local organisations, Rural Development Policy Institute, Doaba Foundation, Help Foundation and Laar Humanitarian Development Programme to help set up 162 child-friendly spaces where children can play games, join sports teams, sing and simply recover. 53 more child-friendly spaces are being planned for flood-affected areas.

Ten year-old Sahid’s fear and anxiety melted away after he joined the child-friendly space activities. “I’m happy now and no longer scared.”

Child-friendly spaces provide security and protection for children

Children laughing and playing

It is uplifting to see dozens of children laughing and playing. On their faces, there was no sign that a natural disaster of enormous proportions had just upended their lives.

“I’m very happy because they have activities that are beneficial, and most importantly, the children can play happily,” said one mother.

In nearby Muzaffargarh district, Rashida, the child-friendly space coordinator, initially found it difficult to restore a sense of confidence after the floods.

“They originally did not want to join the child-friendly space because they were afraid that it might flood again,” she said.

However, Rashida planned the games and activities, and the children eventually participated, putting the floods behind them.

“I was able to forget some of the bad memories by playing and drawing at the child-friendly space,” said 7 year-old Hasan.

Child-friendly spaces are designed to provide a safe place where psychosocial support can be delivered through structured and supervised play and learning activities

Disaster recovery

The child-friendly spaces serve as a source of information for parents about the impact of crisis on children and how to help them heal. They also helps parents, and especially mothers, to reestablish their lives by giving them the time to take care of food, water and shelter.

While the space focuses primarily on the needs of children, they have also created closer ties between children and adults by building protective community networks, trust and security and helping in the long term recovery of families.

“Disasters devastate. Some impacts are not so visible like the shock and trauma,” Krishnan said. “Plan’s child-friendly spaces are not only ‘space that offers protection,’ but also a catalyst to strengthen children’s resilience, healing and psychosocial well being."

Learn more about Plan's work in education in Pakistan and visit the floods site.

Watch the children's joy at the opening of a child-friendly space - in Plan's Pakistan - 6 months on film.

Plan assisted some 300,000 people with lifesaving supplies such as shelter, food and water

In the immediate aftermath of the devastating floods that hit Pakistan, Plan assisted some 300,000 people with life-saving supplies such as shelter, food, safe water and hygiene kits. Now 6 months on Plan is working to get over 58,000 children back to school in South Punjab.

Education

“There has been widespread damage to school buildings and classrooms, as well as the loss of school equipment. Children have lost out on months of education and Plan’s priority is now to get these children back learning,” says Haider Yaqub Plan’s country director in Pakistan.

“And while it’s a priority to get children back to school, it is also vital we ensure these children are receiving a quality education in safe and secure surroundings. Plan has been working with communities, teachers and the local districts to strengthen education systems and also provide safe spaces where children can feel life has returned to normal for them,” continues Haider.

Child marriage to rise

In a recent assessment carried out by Plan and Interact Worldwide in the Punjab region, it was noted that the rates of child marriage are likely to rise in the aftermath of the flooding. If not watched closely this practice could result in thousands of girls dropping out of school, warn Plan experts.

While many communities in the South Punjab districts have returned to their villages, they are still in need of immediate help to survive the winter and seasons ahead. Plan has distributed winter kits to families, consisting of blankets, mattresses and shawls to help with those needs.

Food shortages

It is anticipated that food shortages will begin to affect communities in the coming months and continued support for the millions displaced by the floods will be needed well into 2011.

Plan is working with communities to strengthen education systems and  provide safe child spaces

Plan has been working with communities to provide safe spaces where children can feel life has returned to normal.

“Although we have seen a lot of recovery and life-saving work in Pakistan in the months since the floods hit, we now need to focus on getting life going again for communities. Families need livelihoods and income, people need to be trained in disaster management and we need to see the smiling faces of children in school,” says Yaqub.

Find out more about Plan's work in Pakistan.

Nadia and her daughter tell their story

6 October 2010: Millions in Pakistan are facing a future with no home, provisions or income, unless they receive considerable support. Charlotte Strong meets one family who are facing the reality of what lies ahead.

Walking onto Nadia's property from the main road, I sidestep muddy puddles and fallen trees to enter the main compound. Broken furniture is strewn over the yard, which is partly covered by a tent where Nadia's sister lives with her family, now that their house has been completely destroyed. Nadia was slightly more fortunate – her house is still standing, though the doors now hang off the hinges and the rotten smell of dampness fills the small rooms inside. She points to a spot about halfway up the door frame. “This is where the water came up to” she tells me.

Lucky to survive

Nadia and her family escaped with their lives, and returned after 27 days of homelessness to find their property and future in tatters. As subsistence farmers with very little income, before the flood they survived on the food they grew and the animals they kept. Like most subsistence farmers in this area, they harvested wheat from their rented land and stored it to feed the family until the next harvest. This year's wheat stores, only 3 months old, have been completely destroyed by the flood.

No food, no safe water

What remains of Nadia's family home

Nadia looks at me with tears in her eyes. "The crops are destroyed, and all our stored food is destroyed. The only food we have now is the food that we are given. We also need water – we have four handpumps on our property but the water is no longer safe to drink. We also need to buy medicines for the children".

Nadia is right. The children have developed scabies, and look malnourished. They haven’t eaten properly in over a month. Flies gather around their eyes and mosquitoes born from the stagnant flood water are a constant health threat. I can only imagine how distressing it would be to have a child in such bad health and not be able to do anything about it.

Hopeful for the future

Despite her grave concerns over the future for her children, Nadia lights up when I ask her about their education. "When the water is gone, the children can return to school. All their books have been damaged or lost, but we will cope." She pulls some dirty notebooks out of a small backpack. “This is my daughter’s homework. It’s been ruined by the water, but she will go back to school.”

As I walk back up to the main road, I look back at Nadia and think about what her situation will be in two weeks, three months, one year – I hope that it’s better than what she has now, and that somehow, she's managed to rebuild her life.

Plan’s emergency response to the floods disaster has so far included providing cooked meals to more than 256,600 people, shelter for more than 230,000 people, water tanks for more than 3,000 homes and health and hygiene kits to 2,863 families. We are now starting to shift the response from camps to communities to help families like Nadia's when they return home.

Read how Pakistan flood victims face malaria outbreak