Qatar Charity initiates distribution of cooked food, tents, and provides shelters

QC initiated its response through distribution of cooked food in Rajanpur and distributed and erected tents and providing shelters. Field teams have also positively responded to the nutritional needs of infants in the displaced communities through provision of liquid milk packs. Qatar Charity (QC) under took rapid assessments in both Rajanpur and Swat immediately; although accessibility to most affected areas is still a huge challenge.

QC also established a tent village in khawar baloch, which became the best tent village in the area. Chief Minister Punjab Shabaz Sharif visited the tent village and praised arrangements by QC staff. Meanwhile, he also requested QC to do more efforts in this hour of need. The IDPs informed Sharif about the exemplary work of QC for providing food, medical facilitation, water and shelter.

Flash and river floods in several parts of the country have resulted in loss of life and widespread displacement. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab have been the worst affected areas, while Baluchistan and AJK have also being affected. Millions of people have lost their homes and livelihoods. Crops have been destroyed, and roads and bridges damaged. Floods waters are heading into Sindh causing widespread damages and massive displacement.

In Rajanpur, QC field team is providing cooked food to IDPs of Kotla Mughlan, Kot Mithan, Chacher, Miani, Jampur, Basti Rindan, Kotla Andron, Noshera Sharki. More than 4,000 people have been benefited. Overall 500 infant children got benefited by milk. One of the remarkable achievements by QC is continued supplies of milk (packs) to infants in different locations to IDPs. So far, QC team has erected more than 100 tents catering for 2,200 men, women and children. During tent pitching, QC team took care of local norms and values to ensure privacy particularly for women and children. Overall 3700 people have been benefited by now.

In Swat, QC’s field team has distributed Food and Non Food items to 300 families. Distribution will continue into the next week.

Further, QC has installed 6 water bladders with the assistance of different Government agencies and NGOs to ensure easy access to portable water in most affected areas.

Moreover, QC has planned out an effective strategy to cope up with the needs of the flood victims. In this regard, at least 100 Tents will be air lifted to Kalaam this week.

A strategy has also been devised to ensure an immediate response as well as recovery phase. The immediate response includes Cooked Food Distribution, Emergency Shelter, Non Food Items (Hygiene Kits, Household kits), water Tankering/Water storage for drinking and Fodder Distribution to Livestock. The recovery phase contains Transitional Shelter, Cash Grants for individuals and businesses, Livelihood Restoration (Agriculture, Livestock), Water Supply Schemes, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion (WASH), Cash for work for restoration of community physical infrastructure and houses

QC will aim to reach out to at least 20,000 families (100,000 Persons) in six months in Rajanpur, Swat, Charsadda and Nowshehra.

Qatar Charity launches Rs. 24m Rajanpur Integrated Development Programme

ISLAMABAD, January 28: Qatar Charity (QC), a Doha based international humanitarian organization, has launched its Rajanpur Integrated Development Programme (RIDP) in Southern Punjab for capacity building of the local communities in reducing risk of disasters mainly floods and droughts. The intervention aims also to provide safe drinking water, health and hygiene awareness campaigns, sustainable livelihoods in Rajanpur District. Initial funds allocated for this Program are estimated at Rs.24million.

The Programme aims to mobilize and organize the communities for sustainable community development; ensure the provision of safe and clean drinking water in the selected communities and government schools by promoting Public Private Partnership and to promote hygiene practices among the targeted communities to reduce the threat of waterborne diseases. Among the main objectives of the Programme (RIDP) is strengthening and sustaining the livelihoods of the poor communities living in the disaster prone areas in Southern Punjab. The most challenging task for the Programme is identified as strengthening the capacity of communities to cope with disasters (mainly floods and droughts) and reducing the risk of disasters.

According to a press release issued by the QC Pakistan Country Office, a high-level delegation of the Organization has recently visited the area of intervention and met the Rajanpur District Administration to officially launch the Programme. QC’s delegation was headed by the Regional Program Manager Mr. Mohammed Aderdor and included Country Director Mr. Mohamed Ouahi in addition to the Program staff. During the visit, The RIDP programme has been launched in the presence of the District Coordination Officer Mr. Muhammad Amin Chaudhry. The DCO has been briefed about QC’s intervention in the area. He has warmly welcomed Qatar Charity and appreciated the intervention.

Qatar Charity is operating a field office in Rajanpur District with a core team being attached to execute the Programme. An initial assessment and a base line survey of the area have been carried out and the priority of Qatar Charity is to work in the western part of the District mainly in Pajad.  The targeted area is arid as well as prone to droughts and flash floods. The initial budget for the Programme is estimated at $280.000 and QC is soliciting for more funds from its donors. A number of 5000 families are the estimated number of beneficiaries from this Programme. QC is planning to be present in Rajanpur for the next five years at least and is planning to work on innovative and pro-poor interventions.

Qatar Charity is Doha – Qatar based NGO. The programme of QC in Pakistan is mainly focusing on the following thematic areas; Disaster Management, Sustainable Livelihoods, Water and Sanitation, Education & Cultural Support, Social Protection and Health. The mission of QC is to support the abilities of the neediest groups to accomplish human self-esteem and social justice in collaboration with development partners.

Pakistan IDPs Humanitarian Crisis 2009

QC was proactive in responding to the immediate needs of the IDPs who were living with host families in Mardan, Kohistan and Batagram Districts. In the emergency response phase, QC was able to manage FIs and NFIs distribution. As far as food security is concerned, Qatar Charity has so far distributed Food Items among 2900 IDPs families in Mardan, Kohistan and Batagram districts. All the food has been distributed to the IDPs living with host families or outside the camps.

QC reached to those IDPs who were not targeted by other players mainly in Kohistan and Batagram. At present, food distribution is ongoing in Swat District for returnees and the most vulnerable people of Swat District. In total, 5000 families were targeted under this intervention. QC has also distributed 125 pedestal fans and gas stoves in Jalala, Takht Bhae IDPs camp of district Mardan.

Curative health care was one of the highest needs of IDPs who moved to District Mardan and were hosted by the local communities in the District. To respond to this need, a joint project of Qatar Charity and Muslim Aid UK has been initiated in June 2009. This project aimed to provide general curative medical care to the IDPs as well as to the host communities in District Mardan, NWFP.

Two mobile clinics and 2 static clinics had been operational under this project.
The OPD was more than 300 patients a day. As the approach of QC during this humanitarian crisis is to move with the affected people, the programme has shifted to Swat and the same medical intervention will continue.

Due to the higher concentration of the IDPs in almost all parts of Mardan District, especially north-eastern part, the host communities have suffered a great exhaustion in terms of sharing their resources with the IDPs families (locally called the guests). Drinking water was one of the major problems for these communities. Referring to this situation, Qatar Charity has selected three Union Councils namely Parkho Dheri (Tehsil Takht Bhai), Bakh Shali and UC Alo and installed 36 hand pumps.

Early Recovery

The early recovery has been one of the main areas of focus for QC since the onset of the IPDs humanitarian crisis.

QC is planning to be one of the lead agencies in Early Recovery, and for that purpose, a programme; namely Malakand Integrated Early Recovery and Rehabilitation Programme (MIERRP) has been conceptualized and a pilot phase has started in District Swat for an initial period of six months.

QC has also taken part as one of the core agencies in PHF joint Early Recovery Assessment of District Buner. (Please click here for the final report of PHF joint assessment)

The focus of MIERRP is on Livelihoods Recovery, Food Security,
WASH, Education and revitalizing of the health system, transitional shelters and Social Protection.  For this purpose, QC field office has been opened in Mingora Swat.

Activities on the ground have been started and in order to cover the food and nutritional needs of the most vulnerable people of Swat District, 3100 food packages have been distributed in the Union Councils of Qamber, Rahimabad, Odigram, nawe Kali, Landikas, Shahdara and Mingora City.

To cater for the other needs of the returnees as well as to cope with the harsh upcoming winter, QC has already prepositioned non food items worth $318.500 in Swat. Distribution of these items is due to start in October 09. These NFIs include the following items; 2000 blankets, 2000 mattresses, 800 mosquito nets, 600 jerry cans, 500 hygiene kits, 400 tents, 400 tarpauline, 400 kitchen sets, 400 stoves, 400 lantern, 150 emergency latrines equipped with slabs, 10 bladder tanks of 5000 liters each and 3 community tents.

In the health sector, QC is working with its partner to provide primary health care in BHU Odigram Swat. The facility serves approximately 150 patients per day.

Ramadan Programme

Qatar Charity this year has implemented its Ramadan Programme in disaster and conflict affected areas as well as poor and far flung areas of Pakistan. In this respect, QC has distributed food packages among 2320 families mainly in Swat and AJK. Each food pack contains 23 kgs of the main eating items.

As part of its Zakat-ul-Fitr programme, QC has distributed towards the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan 7332 flour bags of ten kg each among the poor and vulnerable families in Southern Punjab. The two programmes have reached an approximate number of 66864 beneficiaries.