FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance - News Update

FOCUS News Update July 2007 PAKISTAN Helping affected families of Cyclone Yemyn in Keti Bunder Cyclone Yemyn hit Pakistan’s coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan bringing incessant rain, winds and flooding and resulted in considerable loss of lives. Over half a million people were also affected. FOCUS Pakistan and Aga Khan Planning and Building Services (AKPBS) jointly conducted an immediate needs assessment, providing help in the form of food and non food relief items as well as temporary shelter to approximately 2,400 people. The District Nazim (mayor) of Thatta lauded the efforts of FOCUS and AKPBS and committed his support to relief programmes, including building additional homes and the rapid restoration of water supplies and electricity in the area. Both FOCUS and AKPBS will assist rehabilitation efforts by continuing to provide emergency food packages, building materials and specialised assistance respectively. All three thousand people were saved due the timely actions of FOCUS-trained community volunteers Community volunteers help in Sonoghore Village Sonoghore village in Pakistan’s North Western district of Chitral, was hit by a glacier break resulting in mud-flow which destroyed houses, fields and livestock. All three thousand people were saved due the timely actions of FOCUS-trained community volunteers. Under FOCUS’ hazard preparation programmes, the local team - including FOCUS’ regional Search and Rescue team - along with community members had previously established an evacuation route to ensure communities reached a safe location. In collaboration with local government, FOCUS provided food, kitchen items, tents, and blankets to families and is currently undertaking a detailed area risk assessment to help reduce future risk. TAJIKISTAN Harnessing its own expertise in the Gorno Badakhshan region, FOCUS will assist Oxfam’s disaster risk reduction activities in eastern Khatlon FOCUS and Oxfam Collaborate in Disaster Reduction Activities and Provides Expertise to Mission East and Oxfam FOCUS and Oxfam Great Britain (Oxfam) have signed an agreement to collaborate under the their respective DIPECHO 2007-2008 grants to share geographic information system (GIS) services. Harnessing its own expertise in the Gorno Badakhshan region, FOCUS will assist Oxfam’s disaster risk reduction activities in eastern Khatlon. In addition, FOCUS conducted training on geographic information system (GIS) theory and field application including the use of GPS to Mission East and Oxfam staff to further their respective DIPECHO activities. Okmamad Debris Flow The village of Okmamad, in Badakhshan, is faced with the constant threat of mudslides and rockfall from mudflows brought on by rain or melting snow. FOCUS targeted this vulnerable village for intervention under the second phase of the “Fostering Disaster Resilient Communities in Isolated Mountain Environments” project, funded by the European Union’s DIPECHO programme. FOCUS geologists, social mobilizers and engineers conducted a comprehensive risk assessment and built a channel to retain debris. A test of the community’s resilience came in late June, when community members heard the rumble of a debris flow. They reinforced the sides of the channel so that debris would remain in the channel thereby preventing a potential disaster. Ayombek Pallaev, a member of the community’s disaster response team, noted that FOCUS made the community members feel that “[somebody] is taking care of us, and we are not alone.” Heavy rains triggered a severe mudflow in the village of Shikev in the Darwaz District of Badakhshan in late July Mudflow in Darwaz Heavy rains triggered a severe mudflow in the village of Shikev in the Darwaz District of Badakhshan in late July. As a result, a car bridge on the Khorog-Dushanbe road was shifted by almost a meter off its original position and several homes were destroyed. A joint assessment by the Government and Committee of Emergency Situations (CoES) of Badakhshan and FOCUS resulted in affected households being temporarily relocated with neighbours. FOCUS, in coordination with the Government and CoES, initiated relief efforts by providing food, tents and other emergency supplies to families. The FOCUS team also recommended the reconstruction of the damaged water channel to support the rehabilitation of 200 hectares of impacted arable land. DIPECHO Team Trains Youth to Become Community Assets August 2007 saw the completion of twenty-two disaster awareness training sessions for young individuals conducted throughout Badakhshan. FOCUS’ DIPECHO team held invigorating workshops for youth participants on disaster awareness and preparedness, presenting modules on natural disasters most prevalent in Badakhshan and conducting interactive question-answer sessions to review knowledge. An important objective of the camp was to ensure that youth were able to pass critical learning on to their families and communities. The 2007 DIPECHO training sessions will reach over 1,500 children and many more family and community members. USA Internship Programme 2007 Four interns from across the USA were selected to participate in the annual Internship Programme under the auspices of FOCUS USA and the Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board for USA. During the eight week programme, interns assisted in FOCUS programming at the Tajikistan field offices. They also took the unique opportunity to enrich their understanding of the cultures and lifestyle of communities in Tajikistan. Heavy monsoon rains pounded the State of Gujarat in India in July, claiming at least 14 lives and displacing over 40,000 people INDIA Gujarat - A Constant Flood Victim Heavy monsoon rains pounded the State of Gujarat in India in July, claiming at least 14 lives and displacing over 40,000 people. Following a flood alert and a call to the army for rescue operations, FOCUS assisted the local community in relocating families to the city of Jamnagar and provided immediate relief supplies. According to local reports, the torrential downpours disrupted road, railway traffic and power supply in over 2,100 villages. The farming communities of Kodiyar nagar, Jivapar and Dodhiya suffered severe economic losses as top soil on their agricultural land had eroded and homes were flooded up to four feet. The village of Chogut near Bhavnagar was totally submerged and villagers had to take refuge on rooftops with more permanent structures due to the collapse of existing mud houses. The residents of Chogut were eventually brought to safety by community volunteers from Bhavnagar who were assisted by local government authorities. Every year, communities all over Gujarat incur economic losses due to damage to property or livelihoods. Aga Khan Development Network agencies such as Aga Khan Health Services, Aga Khan Planning and Building Services and Focus Humanitarian Assistance offered immediate assistance to the affected communities. A collaborative detailed assessment is currently being conducted to provide relief and longer-term resilience measures.

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