Back to Pakistan – Another day, another aftershock

I spent two days in Islamabad to handover from a colleague who had to return to Dubai. I also spent time reading up on Pakistan labour law and getting briefed on current and planned projects.

I still feel at home here, apart from the rolling aftershocks that greet us almost daily World Vision’s team of Korean doctors, surgeons and nurses returned from the field after 10 days of providing ongoing mobile medical assistance to more than 800 wounded in some of the most inaccessible quake-affected areas. The team received an indirect, unofficial “thank you” from President Musharaf.

We are distributing relief supplies such as tents, blankets, cooking sets and tarpaulins in the Mansehra district of North West Frontier Province.

Mansehra is a widespread town, and the quake primarily affected its borders. The damage is not as extensive as that inflicted on the mountainous areas surrounding us, therefore Mansehra serves as one of our bases.

Several unplanned camps have arisen in the town, established by people pouring in from the surrounding areas that lost everything and came to Mansehra in search of shelter. We try to assist them too.

I won’t even attempt to describe the feeling of looking into eyes brimming with a mixture of severe pain due to the loss of loved ones and happiness upon receiving the basics needed to survive Additionally we are making headway in helping families in the remote mountain villages, which is extremely difficult given the tough terrain and landslides. We use trucks or human porters to take the goods as far as we can and families then meet us and receive the supplies. They then take their goods (tents, blankets and cooking utensils) further up the mountain.

World Vision is taking the lead in setting up Child Friendly Spaces in the village of Balakot, located near Mansehra, and which was almost completely decimated in the quake. These tent safe havens will give children the opportunity to play and interact in a secure environment. Activities help children gain a sense of routine and normality and enable parents to focus on meeting the family’s basic needs.

We will also start to distribute food in the areas that need it and we are planning to get involved in the reconstruction of Mansehra and the surrounding areas.

I’ve been in Mansehra for two days now and I am suffering from a lack of sleep; a combination of long working hours and earthquakes, which scare us all.

It’s my sole reason for doing this work Still, I have my own ‘grab pack’, which I place near my bed each night and have identified three escape routes in case of an emergency. This is my third “earthquake” mission and I guess that by now I am well trained.

Yesterday I helped with a distribution of tents, blankets and cooking utensils to 60 families in a camp in Mansehra.

I won’t even attempt to describe the feeling of looking into eyes brimming with a mixture of severe pain due to the loss of loved ones and happiness upon receiving the basics needed to survive.

It does something to you. It’s my sole reason for doing this work.

-Ends-