Pakistan army soldiers pass a baby across a channel in the floodwater as they help people flee from their flooded village following heavy monsoon rains in Taunsa, Pakistan
Julie Cowdroy reports:
Where are our donations going?
There are growing concerns from Australian donors that their money is not reaching people in need in Pakistan.
I spoke to Mark Chenery from ActionAid, one of the Australian aid agencies on the ground in Pakistan.
Mark said that donating to aid agencies on the ground means your money is not going to the government. Rather, agencies pass on aid one of two ways. Either directly to the people or through local partners on the ground who have along history with those aid agencies. Feel free to call the organisation you are donating to and ask questions about what work they are doing and how they operate. (I did).
For those worrying about reports of donations ending up in the hands of extremists, be assured that donating to reputable Australian aid agencies on the ground will ensure that aid ends up in the hands of people who need it most.
Aid is being targeted on what is most needed so that is effective. Shelter, plastic sheeting, halal food, mosquito nets, insect repellent, water pumps, purification tablets, generators, prevention of skin diseases, and the disposal of dead animals.
This is not a time to be holding back on giving to those in need. In a natural disaster, the poorest and most vulnerable of a society are affected. There are estimates that the floods have affected 17-20 million people. 8 million people are literally fighting for their lives. They are in serious need of immediate humanitarian assistance for survival. Time is of the essence.
Pakistan is an agricultural economy and 80% of the flood-affected are farmers. Long-term support is essential for the people of Pakistan.
Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, daughters, sons. People like us.
Mark says, “It’s about a human giving to a human, not an Australian giving to a Pakistani.” I think this is a great way to view the situation.
Aerial view of a man and his animals surrounded by floodwater in Taunsa, Pakistan
Floods have devastated Pakistan. An estimated 20 million people are affected. This is almost the total population of Australia. Imagine if everyone in this country was uprooted because of floods. I have no doubt Australia would recover. We have infrastructure and a good economy. We have a strong government and we are a peaceful nation with many allies who would rush to our side.
Not the case for Pakistan. Decades of failed development and a weak government mean that rebuilding is going to take a long time. Many challenges existed for the people of Pakistan long before the floods. Low income and protracted conflict has meant that Pakistan is an extremely fragile state, which ranks 10 on the failed state index. Haiti, incidentally, ranks 11.
As a result of the flood, widespread health problems are rampant. The most vulnerable are women and children. Many children have diarrhea and vomiting. A case of cholera has been reported, sparking fears of an epidemic.
The problems are overwhelming and the task seems mammoth. 20 million is a daunting number that is hard to get your head around. We may ask, what can we do? First, and foremost, remember, this number represents 20 million individual lives. One of those individuals is a woman named Saeed who is heavily pregnant and speaks of her personal experience.
Sean Kenny, ActionAid Emergencies Specialist in Pakistan reports:
“The water was up to my neck, then my nose, I only survived because our men took me by the arm and lifted me up,” she told me. “We walked for two hours like this. Ever since the running away my belly has hurt all over. I don’t know if the baby inside me is alive or dead.”
Tears ran down her face.
“I only have what I stand up in. No home. No clothes. Where can I have my baby?”
A Pakistani volunteer uses a small boat to evacuate locals in a flood-hit area of Nowshera
Saeed Bibi is one of the lucky ones – she has made it to one of ActionAid’s 20 camps in the Punjab and is receiving basic food rations and medical attention. But the scale of this disaster is so vast that such help – although vital – is only a fraction of what’s needed.
ActionAid, one of the many aid agencies on the ground, is helping Saeed right now. But many more people need help. You can play a role by donating to one of the various aid agencies working in Pakistan right now.
