Qatar Charity Pakistan has started its emergency WASH program for the displaced in the Bannu District in Waziristan. The district's population was approximately 1,000,000 prior to more than 840,000 displaced seeking relative safety in Bannu. This one-year program shall dig 40 wells(equipping 10 with electric pumps), provide 40 schools with water storage tanks and sanitation, build 320 toilets and 16 power transfer stations. Qatar Charity Pakistan will also maintain 12 water and sewage networks and provide health centers and campsfor the displaced people with water tanks. Three desalination plants to be located in Ismail Khel, Bizan Khel, and Jando Khel will cover sixty villages. As planned, approximately 140,000 people shall benefit.
The lack of suitable sanitation facilities not only presents a health hazard for the displaced and host communities but also leadsto much higher rates of girls dropping out of school in these conservative societies. Qatar Charity has also coordinated with UNICEF to organize awareness campaigns at schools and in neighborhoods across Waziristan in person and over the radio. Workshops to train health and education workers are also planned. As a key strategic implementing partner of UNICEF, Qatar Charity Pakistan attended UNICEF's special workshop in Bangkok, Thailand in late April 2015.
Over the past year, Qatar Charity Pakistan drilled 240 wellsin order to provide clean drinking water in the province of Punjab. Each well was equipped with faucets and sanitation facilities. In recent years, Qatar Charity hasimplemented 9 relief projects in Pakistan at a total value of QAR 2.1 million (USD 577,000), 519 culture and education projects at a cost of QAR 34.3 million (USD 9.4 million) and 16 health projects at a total cost of QAR 2.7 million (USD 741,000). In addition, Qatar Charity Pakistan undertook 4050 water and sanitation projects at a cost of QAR 21.1 (USD 5.8 million), 4 shelter projects at a cost of QAR 7.5 million (USD 2.1 million), 9 social services projects at a cost of QAR 3.1 million (USD 851,000), 178 income-generating projects at a cost of QAR 9.1 million (UD 2.5 million) and social welfare sponsorships at a cost of QAR 8.5 million (USD 2.3 million).
23 August 2015
