Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Note: The following appeal is now closed.  You can support our ongoing work by donating to the Canadian Red Cross

 

Today we went to an enclosed compound with a former college that had obviously aged over the years. The building was once made of white cement and the ground was covered in pale brown dust. In the middle of this bleak landscape, we came upon a burst of purple, orange and blue fabrics as the women of the community gathered together to welcome us.

The people we have encountered are so caring and kind. Surrounded by a circle of women, I hear stories of where they used to live before the floods and how life has changed now that they are living on this compound. The building is no longer structurally sound; they use it for shade during the day but sleep out in the fields at night. Beside me in the dust is a bed crafted from wood, with some clay pots and a goat beside it. This is home to these people now, for (they believe) at least the next six months to a year. There are specific requests from the women for mosquito nets; sleeping outdoors without shelter in a place where malaria is present is understandably a concern for these mothers and I make a point to inform the relief team of this need.  As the women tell me their needs and the impact these floods have had on their families and communities, one woman reaches to my cheek and gently brush away wisps of hair that had fallen on my face. In their own struggles, they go out of their way to make me feel comfortable and at home. Compassion and kindness stare at me through their eyes.

During the time I have had to chat with these women, the medical team has assessed the land, found a site that will offer some shade and erected the tents. The area has been organized into a registration/waiting area, a section for female patients, one for males and a pharmacy area. I am impressed by how quickly and coordinated the medical team is; in less than an hour they are entirely set up and seeing patients.

The following day, we planned to go to Jacobabad for an assessment. Rumour was that the road was finally open after being submerged; however once we arrived we saw nothing but a sea of water. They were trying to build a new road and had made some progress but in one critical area everything washed away with the strong current. There was no way around this current - things would just have to wait until the water receded. There were almost 700 displaced people at this impasse who were desperately waiting for a boat to take them home. Some had been waiting three days and the cost had increased from 50 rupees to 3000 rupees for a 25 to 45 minute ride. We were told they did not know what they would find back home but that it was better than continuing to sleep on the side of the road with no privacy or amenities. Try to imagine driving down the highway and seeing hundreds of people in makeshift shelters on the edge of the highway, just waiting for the chance to return home.  Even though the rains have stopped, these floods continue to drastically affect many hundreds of thousands of people. Some cannot return home, others are newly displaced as the flood waters move, all face uncertainty and vulnerability. What will they be returning to when they are able to go home? How do you rebuild when you have lost everything: your home, your crops, your livestock and members of your community?

This disaster has impacts on so many levels that will be felt for months and years to come, long after the flood waters have receded.

Best,

Bre