Church agency highlights suffering of Pakistan earthquake victims
-05/10/06
Many of th
Church agency highlights suffering of Pakistan earthquake victims
-05/10/06
Many of the three million people left homeless after last yearís devastating earthquake in Pakistan are facing another harsh winter without a new house, according to UK-based international churchesí development agency Christian Aid.
The process of rebuilding after such a huge disaster always takes several years and in Pakistan this yearís particularly heavy monsoon rains have hampered the reconstruction effort, say aid workers.
In addition, a government scheme to involve survivors in rebuilding their own homes has been slow to get off the ground.
The Pakistan government did not allow aid agencies to build permanent homes. Instead it is giving grants of 175,000 rupees (£1,500) to each affected family in three instalments, with each instalment dependent on inspectors confirming the houses are being built to earthquake-resistant standards.
The government has encouraged people to use wood, mild steel and corrugated iron sheets and asked them not to use concrete for roofs to avoid casualties in future quakes.
This has meant around only 17 per cent of people have started building, according to the government. It is estimated that 400,000 houses are needed.
Some 30,000 people are living in tents, while most survivors are living in transitional shelters made of wood and corrugated iron sheets and will not be able to build a new permanent home until after the winter.
Christian Aid, working with Church World Service and Islamic Relief, has ensured the transitional shelters are strong enough to last through the cold weather.
Brian Martin, Christian Aidís Pakistan programme manager, said: ìChristian Aid and its partners in Pakistan were aware that the process of rebuilding permanent homes could take several years, so we made sure that the transitional shelters were sturdy and had sufficient insulation.î
Added Mr Martin: ìChristian Aid welcomes the fact that the houses being constructed are earthquake-resistant and that people are being involved in rebuilding their own homes. This involves them in the decision making process and ensures the houses are built to the highest standards.î
He continued: ìThere have been several challenges in rebuilding including the remote locations of villages, some of which have no road access, the mountainous terrain, delays in allocating new land for those whose land was destroyed in the earthquake and rises in costs of building materials and labour.î
Heavy monsoon rains in the past few months have caused flooding and landslides, while construction will have to be halted during the harsh winter.
The weather could also force people from remote villages high in the mountains to come down to the cities during the winter, increasing the number of people in tents.
Another problem was a huge lack of skilled builders, so Church World Service decided to train people who were living in relief camps in construction to help them rebuild their houses and give them new job skills.
So far 300 people have been trained as electricians, masons and plumbers. Many have been recruited by the government to advise people on rebuilding while others have passed on their skills to the communities they live in.
Christian Aid has spent almost £3 million on helping people affected by the earthquake in Pakistan and India in addition to facilitating £1 million of grants from the UK Department for International Development for water and sanitation.
In Indian Kashmir two Christian Aid partner organisations have built earthquake-resistant housing which has been praised by the Indian government as a model for rebuilding.
[Also on Ekklesia: Archbishop of Canterbury to visit quake-hit Pakistan; Pakistan still faces massive post-quake challenge; Quake-hit Pakistan desperate for food, heat, shelter and helicopters; Christian peer calls for Iraq helicopters to aid quake zone; Faith groups respond rapidly to South Asia quake tragedy; Pope calls for massive aid to Pakistan, India and Afghanistan; US Episcopalians aid victims in Pakistan, India and Central America; Pakistan post-quake situation grim, says Church World Service; Pakistan quake survivors struggle in winter conditions; Kashmir quake aid crosses communal and belief boundaries]
Church agency highlights suffering of Pakistan earthquake victims
-05/10/06
Many of the three million people left homeless after last yearís devastating earthquake in Pakistan are facing another harsh winter without a new house, according to UK-based international churchesí development agency Christian Aid.
The process of rebuilding after such a huge disaster always takes several years and in Pakistan this yearís particularly heavy monsoon rains have hampered the reconstruction effort, say aid workers.
In addition, a government scheme to involve survivors in rebuilding their own homes has been slow to get off the ground.
The Pakistan government did not allow aid agencies to build permanent homes. Instead it is giving grants of 175,000 rupees (£1,500) to each affected family in three instalments, with each instalment dependent on inspectors confirming the houses are being built to earthquake-resistant standards.
The government has encouraged people to use wood, mild steel and corrugated iron sheets and asked them not to use concrete for roofs to avoid casualties in future quakes.
This has meant around only 17 per cent of people have started building, according to the government. It is estimated that 400,000 houses are needed.
Some 30,000 people are living in tents, while most survivors are living in transitional shelters made of wood and corrugated iron sheets and will not be able to build a new permanent home until after the winter.
Christian Aid, working with Church World Service and Islamic Relief, has ensured the transitional shelters are strong enough to last through the cold weather.
Brian Martin, Christian Aidís Pakistan programme manager, said: ìChristian Aid and its partners in Pakistan were aware that the process of rebuilding permanent homes could take several years, so we made sure that the transitional shelters were sturdy and had sufficient insulation.î
Added Mr Martin: ìChristian Aid welcomes the fact that the houses being constructed are earthquake-resistant and that people are being involved in rebuilding their own homes. This involves them in the decision making process and ensures the houses are built to the highest standards.î
He continued: ìThere have been several challenges in rebuilding including the remote locations of villages, some of which have no road access, the mountainous terrain, delays in allocating new land for those whose land was destroyed in the earthquake and rises in costs of building materials and labour.î
Heavy monsoon rains in the past few months have caused flooding and landslides, while construction will have to be halted during the harsh winter.
The weather could also force people from remote villages high in the mountains to come down to the cities during the winter, increasing the number of people in tents.
Another problem was a huge lack of skilled builders, so Church World Service decided to train people who were living in relief camps in construction to help them rebuild their houses and give them new job skills.
So far 300 people have been trained as electricians, masons and plumbers. Many have been recruited by the government to advise people on rebuilding while others have passed on their skills to the communities they live in.
Christian Aid has spent almost £3 million on helping people affected by the earthquake in Pakistan and India in addition to facilitating £1 million of grants from the UK Department for International Development for water and sanitation.
In Indian Kashmir two Christian Aid partner organisations have built earthquake-resistant housing which has been praised by the Indian government as a model for rebuilding.
[Also on Ekklesia: Archbishop of Canterbury to visit quake-hit Pakistan; Pakistan still faces massive post-quake challenge; Quake-hit Pakistan desperate for food, heat, shelter and helicopters; Christian peer calls for Iraq helicopters to aid quake zone; Faith groups respond rapidly to South Asia quake tragedy; Pope calls for massive aid to Pakistan, India and Afghanistan; US Episcopalians aid victims in Pakistan, India and Central America; Pakistan post-quake situation grim, says Church World Service; Pakistan quake survivors struggle in winter conditions; Kashmir quake aid crosses communal and belief boundaries]