Meet Beneficiaries from Education Programs
Meet Beneficiaries from Micro-Infrastructure Programs
Meet Beneficiaries from Livelihoods & Entrepreneurship Programs
Education Programs
Parents renew their commitment to education
Muhammad, the head teacher at a school in Charsadda in KP province, told the International Rescue Committee (IRC) about the dismal conditions at his school caused by last year’s floods – the mud and debris, damaged classroom furniture, and destroyed washrooms. He also decried the lack of parental engagement in the children’s education. The Parent-Teacher Councils (PTC), a critical element in ensuring educational goals are attained, were no longer operating since families began facing so many other challenges after the floods. “You couldn’t expect anyone to attend a PTC meeting,” Muhammad recalls.
Today, PTCs are thriving at schools in Charsadda and Nowshera. The reactivation of the PTCs is an early and essential piece of the APF-funded project with IRC to reclaim nine schools, with a goal of leaving them in even better condition than before the floods. Head teacher Muhammad and other educators report that in the first two meetings of the new Parent-Teacher Councils in each school, there was 100% attendance by parents – showing a renewed commitment to their children’s education.
Rehabilitating a School for Girls
Sadaf is a 7 year old girl living in a village in Jhal Magsi that was devastated by the 2010 floods. Her family was forced to leave their home and upon returning, found that their livelihood and home had been destroyed. Sadaf says, “Our village was badly affected from the flood. My father Abdullah is a farmer and work on the lands of the Nawab. Our father took us towards Jabal before the flood could reach our village. My parents hardly gathered up our clothes and some food and all the other items were left in home. We lived a very difficult life at Jabal where we had no proper food and water. The weather was very hot at that time. My parents used to arrange the food for us but that wasn’t enough for all siblings. When we returned to our village, we found everything filled with debris. My father had no source of earning as the land was not suitable for cultivation.”
The Government Girls Middle School Sakhani was severely damaged by the floods. Save the Children assessed the school and the repairs were launched immediately. The work included construction of plinth protection around the school building, roof screeding and parapet, restoration of water and sanitation facilities, electrification, painting, and construction of a pedestrian bridge so the girls could safely cross a water channel. Save the Children also provided office supplies, school bags, reading material, and launched teacher training and a Back-to-School campaign with the help of the Parent Teachers School Management Committee.
Sadaf’s parents were still initially unwilling to enroll her in the school. Save the Children met with Sadaf’s father and updated him on the repair of the schools and the construction of the pedestrian bridge. Her father was still hesitant and explained their poor financial condition and his view on the education of girls. Save the Children explained that all school supplies would be provided for the children and also discussed the importance of a girl’s education. Sadaf’s father was finally convinced to send his daughter to school.
“My father wasn’t willing to send me to school at any cost.” said Sadaf, “He wanted me to stay with my mother throughout the time. I always loved to join my sister and go to school for studies but the only thing that used to fear me was crossing the water course. All my fears have been removed by Save the Children. My father enrolled me in Kachi (Nursery) and I can easily go over the water course with the help of the pedestrian bridge constructed for all the school children.”
Micro-Infrastructure Programs
Mandina sees opportunities for herself and her family
Mandina is an 80 year old woman and mother to seven daughters and one son. Her village’s water supply system was destroyed in the 2010 floods and as a result Mandina, despite her age, had to carry water from the nearby spring with the help of her young granddaughter, Bushra. Mandina had concerns about the quality of the water that her village was using. "Presently the community is carrying water from the spring which is used by both us and our animals at the same time. The water source is uncovered and not sufficient for our households." Mandina also worried about her granddaughter, who was unable to devote an appropriate amount of her time to school.
Mandina’s village participated in the APF-funded RSPN micro-infrastructure project. SRSP worked closely with local community members and established Community Organizations. The new water system will not only provide clean drinking water but will also reduce the prevalence of waterborne diseases and alleviate the burden on families like Mandina’s.
Mandina and her granddaughter are both excited about the new water infrastructure scheme. "With the new drinking water supply scheme arriving, I hope my grandchildren will concentrate on their studies, shower daily and I myself will stitch more clothes,” says Mandina. “My income will rise from Rs. 120 per day to Rs. 180.”
Yasmin can once again focus on earning an income for her family
Yasmin is a 33 year old mother of seven children and lives in a 50 household village called Suigali. Her husband is a farmer and Yasmin also supports her family through embroidery and stitching. After the 2010 floods destroyed her village’s water supply, Yasmin was forced to carry water to her household on a daily basis, and so no longer had sufficient time to earn her income. Yasmin worried that her community’s water source was not clean and that its use could lead to an outbreak of disease.
"I am carrying water on my head", says Yasmin, "But with new hope arriving, I am sure these difficult days will pass, and I and my family will be able to live normal life again Insha'Allah.”
APF’s water infrastructure project with RSPN and SRSP is restoring this community’s access to clean drinking water. Besides reducing the risk of waterborne diseases in the village, the micro-infrastructure project will allow community members like Yasmin to return to more productive activities.
An SRSP organizer working in this community said, “Women, like Yasmin, will concentrate on their children and their earning activities, and the girls will feel more protected and spend more time on their education.”
Yasmin is looking forward to the results of the project as well. “With the arriving of clean drinking water, I will get some spare time in which I will raise my income and will spend on my children’s education."
Sabir can provide better health and education for his family
Sabir, a 62 year old man and father of 12, lives in a 
village of 280 people in the Swat district of the KP province. Like many other villages in the area, Sabir’s was badly affected by the 2010 floods, which completely destroyed the infrastructure for their drinking water system and irrigation channels.
Sabir is a mason by profession and has worked hard his entire life to support his family. All of his children are involved in helping the family make ends meet, which makes education seem like a distant option for them. Apart from other tedious labor, his wife and children have to bring water from distant springs and streams for their daily consumption. The rest of the village and even the livestock drink water from the same sources.
“With this devastation our community suffered a lot because then we were forced to use extremely polluted water for daily consumption”. The drinking water for this community became so unhygienic that two months ago about 15 people suffered from serious health problems.
Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP), working under the network of RSPN and funded by APF, has completed a drinking water supply scheme for this village. SRSP first organized the community by forming a Community Organization which will take on responsibilities for the project. “Previously our approach was individualistic but now we are changed to collective approach,” Sabir says proudly.
The community is very excited about having their own clean drinking water supply system. The entire community participated in the construction work under the guidance of APF-SRSP engineers. Sabir was appreciative of the support and guidance of the engineers.
Now the scheme has been completed and the community is the proud owner of the scheme, remarked Sabir with tears of happiness in his eyes. Sabir’s youngest son standing nearby his father whispered that now they will wear clean clothes and will not be embarrassed in school.
When asked about the benefit of the drinking water supply scheme to his community, Sabir replied, “We will be free of diseases”.
Asma is on her way back to school
The restoration of the drinking water systems is also restoring promise in the lives of the local people. Asma is a 12 year old girl who lives in a village in the Swat district that was severely flooded and damaged in the 2010 floods. The nearby drinking water system was decimated and sufficient assistance for rehabilitating the water infrastructure never came.
Asma has three sisters and one brother. Together with her siblings she spends most of her time collecting and carrying water, which means that she no longer is able to focus on her education.
"I make eight rounds from the water source every day. Every round involves me walking half an hour to and from the water source and carrying two heavy buckets of water. With so much work, I struggle to go to school. I am in class four, but the labour has made it difficult to study. I am also ill because of the carrying the heavy water."
The community agreed to participate in the APF-funded project, which is being carried out by RSPN through the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP).
Once completed the drinking water supply system will alleviate the water borne diseases in the area and restore the productive activities in the lives of the local people, particularly girls and women.
"Ever since the floods, I have carrying heavy loads of water every day," says Asma, a 12 year old girl from the village. "With the new water (supply) arriving, I hope these difficult days will pass, and my family and I will be able to live normal lives again."
The imminent completion has greatly raised the spirits of the community members, including Asma's. "My entire family is talking about this, and looking forward to the completion of the project and then I will be able to go study again."
Lal sees a better future for his grandchildren
Lal, head of a 25 member family and 80 years old, lives in a village in the Swat district. Lal is the only survivor of his age in the village of 75 households.
Lal remembers as a child bringing water on donkeys from the springs and ponds in the mountains. The transporting of water took so much time that almost all of the children were deprived of an education. He also remembers that about 10 years ago the community suffered an outbreak of a viral disease from contaminated water in which many precious lives were lost. The village benefitted greatly when it finally got a drinking water supply scheme years ago – only to have it completely destroyed in the 2010 floods, along with their water channels and crops. The community found it itself back in the same position and feared the outbreak of the same diseases.
When Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) came to the village to discuss the micro-infrastructure project funded by APF, the community agreed with all conditions and signed the terms of partnership.
Lal says that one cannot believe the happiness on that day, as their hope of life was restored again. The community started the work and the drinking water supply scheme was successfully rehabilitated with the support and guidance of the APF-SRSP engineers.
Lal’s grandchildren were sitting near their grandfather and said that school-age children suffered the most because they had to bring drinking water to the village before going to school and clean clothing was not available because of the scarcity of water. Now that the drinking water supply scheme is completed, they have more time for their education. Lal’s grandson says, “We will not only drink clean drinking water, will also wear clean clothes and shower daily.”
Livelihoods & Entrepreneurship Programs
Laiq can once again be hopeful for his family's future
Laiq is a father of four whose home and livelihood were destroyed in the 2010 floods. His village was severely affected by the flooding and as Laiq’s home was located near the river bank, it was completely destroyed. Two of the rooms in his mud house were washed out. Laiq managed to transfer his family to a safer place but all of his family belongings and his cow and goat were washed away by the floods. His family was left in a very vulnerable situation and lived in a camp for three months with other flood victims.
Laiq earns his livelihood from daily wages on a small-scale farm and for the last five months has been suffering from TB. Relief International visited Laiq’s home with local community members and observed his living situation. Laiq does not have the resources to rebuild his home and make a permanent living place for his family. He was worried of what will happen to his family in the future, especially if he is sick or unable to earn any income.
Relief International (RI) has selected Laiq to be a beneficiary for the APF-funded project and he will receive one lactating goat. As part of the project, Laiq's family were also provided with a permanent shelter. This provision will greatly improve his family’s nutritional and health status. Laiq says he is now very hopeful and sees a better future for his family with this support.
Sabz Ali and his family can start rebuilding their lives
Sabz Ali is a 41 year old man who lives in the Kabul River Union Council and is the sole provider for a large family that includes his mother, two sisters, wife, four sons and three daughters. In an effort to support all of them, he works for daily wages and barely can afford to feed them.
Sabz Ali’s village bore severe damage in the 2010 flooding. His house, which was located near the river bank, was overcome by water. Although his family was able to escape the floods without any physical injuries, their home, belongings, and the livestock that sustained them was completely washed away.
Sabz Ali was identified as a beneficiary of Relief International and APF’s livestock and livelihoods project. The field team became aware that many of the family members were living in a tent and that they lack the resources to rebuild even a single room for the family. In response to these needs, Relief International and APF’s partnership provided Sabz Ali with training in goat rearing, feeding, and disease management in order to strengthen his ability to support his family and rebuild their lives. This provision will also assist him in overcoming nutritional deficiencies in his family.
Aasia can provide a more stable livelihood for her small children
Aasia is a 35 year old widow who lives in a tent with 
her two daughters and a son in a village near the Kabul River in Navi Kalli Union Council of the Nowshera district. Her husband died of Tuberculosis in late 2010, which highly increased the vulnerability of her family.
When the devastating flooding of 2010 battered the entire Union Council, torrential rain caused the water level in Aasia’s house to reach nearly nine feet high. As a result, her single-room house was completely destroyed and no longer habitable. She succeeded in moving her children to a comparatively safer place but she was unable to rescue any of the family’s belongings.
Relief International assessed Aasia’s home along with the Community Organization formed in her village. As Aasia is the only provider for her family, Relief International identified her as among the most vulnerable and as a beneficiary for the APF-funded program. Aasia will receive a lactating goat so she can maintain a more secure livelihood and also meet the nutritional needs of her small children.
Rebuilding livelihoods in the wake of the crisis
BRAC's work in Pakistan has enabled individuals and families to improve their generation of income and reclaim stability after the devastation of the floods.
Click here to read a story about a beneficiary of BRAC's flood relief work in Pakistan
