Staff from HelpAge’s partner in Pakistan, Community Development Foundation, have had to wade through shoulder-high water in Balochistan to reach communities who have been cut off for weeks by the devastating floods in Pakistan.
The team got as far as Union Council Mirpur district in Jhal Magsi but whole bridges and roads are underwater, so they distributed aid to the local community by wading through the water themselves. Local community members then managed to distribute the aid by motorbike, working closely with local government representatives to ensure the aid was delivered to the older people most in need.
The aid includes vital items, such as plastic sheeting, tarpaulin, water purification tablets, and mosquito nets.
Jan Odhano, the CEO of Community Development Foundation (CDF), said: “I am very proud of my team who are moving heaven and earth to get this vital aid through. But we know there are so many people who have not yet been reached and we are determined to get to them as soon as we can.”
CDF has distributed aid to eight villages in Union Council Mirpur, but it is not yet known when it will be possible to reach the six villages in the Khari district.
“It’s such a difficult situation to operate in at the moment,” said Syed Moeez, Country Director of HelpAge in Pakistan. “We are pleased to be working with CDF in Balochistan as they know the area well and if anyone can access these hard-to-reach areas, they can. We know that there are so many older people who have lost everything and are struggling to survive, so we must reach them as soon as we can.”
