This blog is written by Elli Xenou, Programme Coordinator for Cordaid, Pakistan. Cordaid (Caritas in the Netherlands) is focusing on health care for people living in host communities. They're targeting 150,000 people in Mardan, Swabi, and Charsadda.

Saima's ears are full of blood. The young girl's mother Maryam catches her and removes her hair for me to see. She explains in Pastu and I pick up the word "shelling". Our translator tells me that blood started running out of her ears after heavy shelling in Swat one week ago.

Saima is one of close to two million people who have had to flee their homes in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province due to heavy fighting between government troops and armed groups.

"The government gave us the order to leave at once," said her mother. "There was no time to take anything with us. We made it here on foot, sometimes riding a bus. Now we have nothing. People of this village put us in here. They are supporting us in any way they can."

We met Saima in Swabi. Saima's family have found shelter in a host community there. They're living with seven other families in a half-built house. Camps exist, but 85 percent of people forced from their homes have been taken in by local communities.

Her family came from Swat. They had nowhere to stay. Some community members helped them out by providing this house as temporary shelter. Two of them are escorting us during our visit. Are you from any organization? I ask. They don't understand my question. "We had to do something when this people arrived," they say. "We put them in here for now. Then, we shall see inshallah"

Other families haven't been so lucky. "Our mother died on the way," another woman is saying. "We had to bury her by the side of the road and go on". Her husband shares the same story out in the country yard with the male members of our team.

Only I'm allowed to visit the inner parts of the house where women and children are residing. Some women hide their face from the camera. The tribal tradition of "purdah" (i.e. seclusion, privacy) has been violated. Most of them feel humiliated. Along with property and family members and friends who stayed behind, they also had to suffer the loss of their dignity and honor. They now feel uprooted at the mercy of kind strangers and host communities and aid agencies who perhaps might help, "Inshallah."

Caritas members are planning to provide food, shelter, support to livelihoods, and support the protection of women and children in host communities.

Children are still smiling in Swabi. An every expanding group of them follows me. The future however doesn't seem so bright. A volunteer doctor is coming. He is from the village and wishes to help but still there are so many things to be done, so many things needed, it seems like a mountain to climb.

Nobody else has visited this place so far despite the village being on the main road in an area furthest from the conflict zone and therefore considered the safest. These are unregistered people who have fled the conflict. No food is yet planned for them.

We ask why they are not registered so they'll be entitled to food rations. Our escorts seem skeptical and their smile hides a hint of irony. "They're not living in camps," they say. "Only people living in camps are entitled food support"

I enter the next room. A baby is fully covered with a blanket. "Why is he tied up?" I ask. "To have a straight body when he grows up," they tell me.

I have to visit every room as they might get offended if I don't. A guest is always important in this part of the country. In the last room, it's hot. More than 41 Celsius and is very unpleasant.

Saima wants a picture. She poses and smiles. I'm too embraced to take a picture of her blooded ears. Instead I shoot the picture as she wants. I promise I will return to give it to her. Careful not to make any more promises, I leave the place thinking that perhaps we will be able to return giving more than a picture. Inshallah.

Names have been changed to protect identities.

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