Monsoon season is about to start again in Pakistan and millions of people are understandably fearful given the hellish floods that swept across vast tracts of the country last year. Huw Owen, Disasters Emergency Committee in Scotland, gives an update on the DEC appeal.
Following record temperatures which turned the soil to concrete and glacial melt in the Himalayas, some areas save five times the 30-year average rainfall. In the mountainous North, the torrents caused landslides and swept homes – further South, the Indus burst its banks, submerging vast plains in Balochistan and Sindh provinces, where there was huge dependence on the land for crops and livestock. The scale of the disaster was described by the UN Secretary General as a ‘climate catastrophe’ with the Pakistani government calling for international assistance.
Despite the ongoing Appeals for the hunger crisis in Afghanistan and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the DEC launched its third UK appeal in less than 12 months last September. As ever, there was a hugely generous response from the public and key DEC partners. Nearly £5 million has been raised here in Scotland, with a generous £900,000 of support from the Scottish Government. The UK total has just passed £48 million.
These funds have allowed the DEC’s member charities not only to save lives in the immediate aftermath of the floods – providing emergency shelter, clean water, food and healthcare, but also to protect families who’d lost their agricultural income as their land remained underwater and the local economy ground to a halt. As it becomes ever clearer that the climate crisis fuels ever more acute humanitarian crises, funds are also being used to help communities adapt to these weather extremes. That includes the supply of seeds and training in new climate smart techniques for farmers. With the monsoon starting again, families are also being given emergency drills, swimming lessons and-flood resistant housing.
We have long since known that despite the scale of these disasters, the news agenda and public awareness rapidly moves on, particularly as we seem to be bombarded by bad news here at home and around the world. For that reason and to recognise the continued generosity of the public, the DEC is now putting more effort into reporting back on the incredible impact of these donations.
We have just produced a multi-media report that we hope will provide real insight into what our members have been doing across the worst affected parts of Pakistan and what that has meant for so many families and individuals over the past few months.
Naju’s* baby Krishnan* was badly malnourished when he was treated at a health clinic with a simple nutritious peanut paste, an inexpensive but lifesaving intervention. DEC funding has helped 158,000 people like Naju in health posts and mobile clinics over the past months – if you have a moment, please take a look at this DEC report which details so many other ways in which donations have helped people in need in Pakistan.
The DEC, our 15 UK members, can only achieve this success with your donations, we’d like once again to thank you for your compassion and generosity.
*Names changed to protect identity
Author: Huw Owen, Disasters Emergency Committee in Scotland