By Jessica Howell, Programme and Advocacy Officer, Catholic Relief Services A wizened man whose mirthful eyes suggest more mischief than age, Ariz smirks when asked how old he is. “More than 50,” he said, to the chuckles of his friends and family standing nearby. There hasn’t been a lot to smile about lately though. The floods that ...
Bishop Joseph Coutts, President of Caritas Pakistan, talks about the challenges Caritas faces in Pakistan six months after the country was devastated by extensive floods. How would you describe the situation six months after the floods? Bishop Coutts: There is still a lot to be done. In the areas we are working in, we are now ...
Over three months after heavy rains deluged huge swathes of Pakistan, thousands of people are still trapped by floodwaters and can’t get back home. Many more are living in temporary accommodation, while others are battling malnutrition, malaria, cholera and general health problems caused by the damp and the instability of their lives. At one point ...
By Kamran Chaudhry On August 3, Zakaullah broke his right leg while fleeing from his house as floodwaters rose. “It was midnight. The rangers had raised the alarm that the water from Indus River would enter our village any moment but we kept hoping otherwise”, he said “I slipped in panic and broke my right ...
Anila J.Gill, Caritas Pakistan director, spoke to Kamran Chaudhry about the recent challenges in dealing with country’s most catastrophic floods which has affected more than 20 million people. How serious is the humanitarian crisis following the massive floods in Pakistan? The flood waters have washed away 10 percent of our crops and now food security ...
By Shahzada Irfan Khursheed Bibi stood out amongt the recipients of relief goods with a bandage worn around her fractured arm. Being over 60 her arm would take a long time to heal. Besides, she knew the treatment would prove a heavy burden on the limited resources she had at her disposal. Khursheed recalled the ...
By Shahzada Irfan For Ameen Babar the working days are long, there are no days off in sight and no plans for a holiday. As Disaster Management Programme Coordinator with Caritas Pakistan in Faisalabad, his days are filled by trips to areas devastated by rainstorms and flashfloods. With road networks destroyed or submerged under water, ...
More than two and a half million people were forced from their homes as a result of clashes between the Pakistan army and militants in the Swat Valley. The district used to be known as the ‘Switzerland of Pakistan’ and attracted thousands of tourists who came for skiing and mountain walking – but that was ...
“This is not a regular ambulance. It can save more lives because it contains an intensive care unit for patients in a critical condition,” said Jameel Khoury, Caritas Jerusalem Project Manager. The new ambulance has been provided by Caritas to Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza. Home to 1.5 million Palestinians, Gaza is one of the ...
Fighting in Pakistan has forced over 2.5 million people from their homes. There are huge gaps in meeting the needs of these people. Caritas members on the ground are already delivering aid, and are now looking to expand their operations as the humanitarian crisis grows. At least 85 percent of the people who have fled ...