Pakistan still suffering following flood devastation

Columban Sister Rebecca Conlon, a native of Milltown Malbay, has been journeying with the flood-affected people, the Balochi Tribal group, living by the super highway in Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan, since last August. She recalls, for The Clare Champion, the sheer destitution and desolation experienced by the displaced and the campaign to get them back on their feet once more.

LAST August, 20 million people were on the move with one-third of Pakistan, approximately the size of England, under water.
Over the past eight months, we have been accompanying and providing flood relief to 118 families. They are living in the open desert which is a flat plain of sand, stones and dust, with thorn bushes providing the only vegetation, just off the super highway from Hyderabad to Karachi.
These families have no access to water, electricity or gas. They came with nothing but the bare necessities of life, which included a few cows and goats that they own communally. They belong to a Balochi Tribal group with a strong extended family structure. They worked and lived as share croppers on land owned by a landlord, which meant they got a percentage of the harvest, the remainder going to the landlord. If the crops failed, they lost their means of livelihood and had to borrow from the landlord for their daily needs. Many ended up being bonded to him until their debts were repaid.
These particular families told us of their terrible ordeal of being caught in the flood waters. A young man captured the whole experience on his mobile phone. First, we see them looking aghast at the water gushing onto their land, then their cotton crop being swallowed up in the flood and finally, we see the landlord and his family taking off at high speed in their fleet of cars, 10 in all, on the top of the bank.
Through the dust flying in the air, we can see the people, trying to retrieve their string beds from their houses, which were becoming submerged in the water.
We began by giving these distraught people a cooked meal; they had not eaten for three days. Since then, we have provided food supplies to each family, on a weekly basis, costing us about €2,500 per week. Each week, we feed approximately 1,000 people. The signs of severe malnutrition in both women and children revealed that they were living at subsistence level even before the floods. We did our best to respond to their health needs.
We distributed tents, blankets, 500 of which we got from Ireland Aid through Trócaire. Each family got a trunk holding bedding, mattresses, towels, clothing, crockery, sweaters, shawls and shoes. We gave charpois (string beds), sewing machines, water drums and coolers, charcoal stoves and games for all, footballs, cricket bats. The total cost of these items to date is €27,107.
It is because of the generosity of the Archdiocese of Dublin and the money sent by so many people that we were able to help.
We started an Income Generating Scheme with the women in the camp who are very gifted in handiwork and hopefully, through this, they will become self-sufficient. It helps them provide for some of the families’ most basic needs and gives a sense of achievement. Each family received a sewing machine and to date, the women have received over €680 for their work. This is their road to dignity and independence.
It is obvious the women are transformed in spirit because with great joy and pride, they come with their handiwork when we visit the camp. We pay them a good wage for each item because this is the only income for the family. Little girls, aged between eight to 12 years, are also part of this project together with their mothers and grandmothers.
After four months of emergency relief, it was time to help the families move on with their lives. To date, they have got no help from either the government or NGOs. The people expressed their desire for a plot of land, which would enable them to preserve their family and communal tribal identity.
Our project manager sought out a suitable place for them and on New Year’s Day, we were in possession of all the legal land titles and deeds. This was indeed a great omen for us moving into the new year. This land cost €146,364 and thanks to the generosity of the people of Clare and Ireland, we were able to purchase it.
On February 11 last, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, we started to build 40 single-storey, two-roomed houses, with kitchen, bathroom and a small outer courtyard. These will be allocated to those most in need and who have no livelihood to go back to. The cost of one completed house is approximately €5,000. Again, because of help, we have paid the first instalment of €91,340.
St Paul reminds us: “Some sow, others water but it is God who gives the increase”. Journeying with these people has been an Exodus experience both for them and for us who have been privileged to accompany them to a promised land on the outskirts of the city of Hyderabad.
This is due, in large measure, to the very generous donations we have received from you, the people of Clare and Ireland.