PROJECT OBJECTIVES
To reduce further sufferings of the most vulnerable flood victims during the winter season through provision of essential winter relief items to 312 individuals in the most flood affected villages, Kharko and Qumrah, Gilgit-Baltistan.
Background: Damage was very heavy in Qumra and Kharko villages of Skardu Baltistan due to the devastating floods in July-August 2010. Qumra is at 25 km and Kharko at 90 km from Skardu main city respectively. Due to mountainous specificities the winter season is always worse in that region. GRACE Association did know the difficult living conditions of vulnerable people caused by flooding. To reduce their further sufferings during the winter season GRACE Association, Pakistan requested the Australian High Commission (AHC) Direct Aid Program (DAP) for support.
PROJECT OUTCOMES
GRACE Association Pakistan and AHC Islamabad have been agreed to implement the project within a month. The organization therefore purchased the approved relief items through quick procurement arrangements. The suppliers supplied the items at GRACE project office in Skardu in two weeks. GRACE Association arranged the winter relief items distribution event in Kharko on December 29, 2010 and in Qumrah on December 31, 2010 and distributed the relief items to the following the most deserving flood victims:
1. Qumrah – 26 men, 27 women, 7 desabled persons, 70 children, 5 infants
2. Kharko – 40 men, 40 women, 8 desabled persons, 81 children, 11 infants
Total – 66 men, 67 women, 15 desabled persons, 151 children, 16 infants
GRACE team distributed the winter relief items including 48 Nestle Cerelac packets and sleeping bags for 16 infants, 312 winter shoes (pairs), warmer sweaters and suits, gloves and mufflers for men, women and children including people with disabilities, wheelchairs for 15 persons with physical disabilities including women with physical disabilities, and 39 sleeping kits including 117 mattress and bed sheets in presence and by heads of district administration Ganche Baltistan including the Deputy Commissioner Raja Fazal Khaliq, SSP Syed Ahmad, DSP Mr. Furman Ali, District Health Officer Dr. Sadiq Shah, Notables of the area, Mr. Abdul Kareem, Abdul Ghafoor and Sheikh Taha of Qumra.
The target victims were so happy and expressed their gratitude to the AHC DAP and GRACE Association Pakistan. The Deputy Commissioner Ganche highly appreciated GRACE efforts to help the deserving in needs and requested to expand its services to other villages of the districts like Frano, Surmo, Talis and Basho and Kwardu. Wazir Shamshad Hussain GRACE Program Coordinator thanked the district administration, media and community elders for their cooperation in distribution of the items in the most deserving flood victims and assured keeping on the endeavours in future too.
Name of the organization
Grace Association Pakistan
Funds provided by
Australian High Commission Direct Aid Programme (DAP), Islamabad
Project
GRACE-DAP Winter Relief Project Skardu Baltistan
Project Start/End date
November 20, 2010 / December 31, 2010