Robina Bughio, 56 is a widow living in Shaheed Benazirabad District, Sindh Province.

Her husband passed away in 2018 and she was left alone with her only daughter. What little money she and her husband had saved was spent on her daughter’s wedding dowry. She lived in a mud-plastered house, where she kept a few hens.

Heavy rains and floods destroyed her house, leaving her with nothing. After a few days of living in the open, her health deteriorated, and she contracted typhoid as a result of the nonstop rain. As she was homeless, she asked nearby members of her community whose home was only partially damaged to provide her with temporary accommodation. But the lack of basic health facilities and damaged infrastructure meant her condition deteriorated, and she didn’t have access to any medicine.

Robina is grateful to her neighbors who sheltered her during the worst times. But she is afraid of what might happen when the disaster is over. Heavy rains swept her house away leaving nothing behind. Her poor health is another major concern and she might not be able to resume her work as a cleaner.

“I am thankful that I left my house at the right time, otherwise I would have not only lost my house but my life too. Despite that, I ask if I made the right decision or not, as I don’t have anything left to survive what remains of my life.”

Thousands of families are homeless or displaced due to the devastating floods in Sindh Province. While people are struggling to get basic facilities such as food or medicines, there is a continuous fear of being homeless as the majority of houses have been severely damaged due to the heavy rains. The provision of shelter has been a major concern among community members.