January 14, 2008

Muhammad Hussain is a poor farmer of Kalag village. He has four young daughters and is always concerned about getting them married off. Last year he planned to save some money from the harvest, to put a few things together for his daughters.

However, in June 2007 he suffered a great setback, as the kareez (underground water supply system) which is the main source of his livelihood got completely destroyed in the floods. He along with his three sons, who are also unemployed had had no other financial means to support their family. As the water level decreased, his output and income reduced as well. His entire village is dependent on the kareez for water supply and has suffered severe damages during the floods.

When Hussain came to know that Church World Service- Pakistan / Afghanistan (CWS-P/A) and Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) are working in his area to rehabilitate the kareez, he was very relieved. He says "The kareez which was non-functional after the floods is today flowing with even more water due to these organisation's efforts, once again we are harvesting various vegetables like tomatoes, garlic, lady fingers etc." They are also using the kareez water to grow mangoes, dates, lemons and rice. Hussain is very grateful, because not only he is supporting his large family once again but also making arrangements for his daughters' future.

Similarly, Shah Bibi is a 45 year old woman who belongs to Kuhun Pust Kushlat. She is the head of her household, as her husband is working overseas. They own a well which has been dug with in their house, but it did not have a lid. Although the water was polluted and contaminated they had had to use it for domestic purposes.

After the floods, she met the SPO and CWS-P/A team members at her friend's house, who had come to survey the water sources in the area. She decided that she will also mention the well to these teams so that their water issues can be resolved. Once she returned home, to her surprise she learnt that the teams had also visited her house and surveyed the well.

She says, when the teams brought in the equipment to install the hand pump, she was finally able to relax a little that now their problems will be solved to a certain extent. Since then, 15 other household in the neighborhood have also benefited as they collect water from the pump. Now the water in the well is clean and fit for usage. Water wastage is also avoided and overall health and hygienic conditions have improved too. Together the community has agreed to mutually take the responsibility of its maintenance and cleanliness.

CWS - P/A in collaboration with SPO has installed 133 hand pumps and completed rehabilitation of 12 kareez in Kech district, Balochistan. 40 hygiene sessions have been conducted and distribution of 2,000 hygiene kits along with 4,000 jerry cans was also carried out. The project is supported by World Vision International. At then end of the project approximately 50,000 individuals will have access to clean water.

Media Contact: Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676; lcrosson@churchworldservice.org Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526; jdragin@gis.net