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“Four years ago, my husband died of a heart attack. Since then, I have been supporting my family and trying to make ends meet. My embroidery and sewing skills help me earn PKR 700 a week (Approx. USD 4), and that is only when we receive regular orders. This is the only source of income for my three children and me,” shared Jatni.

Thirty-five-year-old Jatni and her three young children live in Ramsar village located in district Umerkot of Sindh (Pakistan), where they own a small piece of land and two goats. Jatni and her husband used their four acres of land next to their village to grow Guar[1] and Mung[2] on. After her husband’s passing away, Jatni continued with the farming activities on the land when she would be free from her hand-crafting work. She would sell the surplus produce to earn some extra income for her family. However, this year, despite being free from her handicrafts work since she barely received any orders due to COVID-19, Jatni was unable to grow any crop on her farming land due to locust infestations.

Since June 2019, the locust outbreak has been impacting eastern Pakistan. A plague of locusts hit Pakistan in February 2020, devouring crops, trees, and pasture as they moved through vast agricultural lands in Sindh and Punjab. According to the National Disaster Management Authority, 61 districts across the country are under attack from locusts, which have been damaging food crops. Pakistan incurred losses estimated to £2bn in winter crops, such as wheat, and is further expected to suffer another £2.3bn in the summer crops being planted now, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in May 2020.

“The situation in Ramsar was worrisome. All the villagers were in a difficult situation because of the devastation the locusts had brought to agricultural production. Our food security was badly affected as the large swarms moved through the lands.”

Ramsar’s village committee, in collaboration with Community World Service Asia’s (CWSA) emergency team, selected Jatni as a cash grant recipient of PKR 13500 (Approx. USD 84) under an emergency response project supported by Japan Platform.  The project aimed to help 1600 locust affected farming families recover through cash assistance for livelihoods and provision of insecticides to fight off the locust swarms infecting their lands. Additionally, pesticides was provided to the National Disaster Management Authority in June 2020 for locust control. In Umerkot district, 867 hectare of lands were applied with the provided pesticides by Agriculture Department, protecting crops from locusts, pests, diseases and weeds as well as raising productivity per hectare.

Jatni used the cash received under the project in the tillage operation conducted to recover from the locust attacks.

“The tillage carried out in the last week of June helped me recover and prepare the land for cultivation. The land is now sowed with our usual Guar and Mung seeds. I am hopeful that we will have a substantial harvest by the end of the season to sell in the local market. The money I will earn from selling the surplus will help us purchase a variety of groceries that will last us a good six-months.”

[1] Guar is an important legume crop. It is cultivated for fodder as well as for grain purpose.
[2] The mung bean, alternatively known as the green gram, mash, or moong, is a plant species in the legume family.

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Under the Enhancing disaster resilience against droughts in Sindh Province project, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan,[1]  eight Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) committees have been set up in eight villages, with fifteen members in each. Established in April 2019, the committees work towards strengthening the local community’s capacity to manage emergencies and collaborate with government agencies and relevant authorities to reduce risks during emergencies. These DRR committees play a pivotal role in facilitating the implementation and oversight of the project and to ensure community ownership and inclusion to maintain its long-term sustainability.

As physical interaction and implementation of any kind was not possible after the nation-wide lockdown imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country since March, Community World Service Asia’s DRR team got in touch with the members of the committees through mobile phones. Together they discussed ways of raising community awareness on COVID-19 symptoms and how to stay safe from it. Upon agreement, training sessions with the DRR committees were planned and conducted in April 2020.

Haji Chanesar village in Umerkot district was one of the selected areas and five members of its DRR Committee were part of the remote training session. They were informed about what communities should be doing to be prepared to respond to a case, how to identify a case once it occurs, and how to properly implement the preventive measures to ensure there is no further transmission of the virus.

Prem, 28, is married and a father to three children. After completing his intermediate, he was engaged in different volunteer work as he had grave interest in helping others. As a member of the DRR Committee, he looks after and operates the RO plant established in the village and also supports in the implementation of the project activities. Prem, who is an active member of the DRR Committee of Haji Chanesar village was one of the participants in this training.

The trained members of the committee then replicated the learnings separately in a number of neighbouring villages. Over two hundred local community members were introduced to information on COVID-19 and learnt basic hygiene measures to protect against the infection. By the end of these awareness sessions, communities were able to identify basic symptoms of coronavirus, common transmission channels, how to assess the risk of infection and key preventive measures.

An isolation room was established in Haji Chanesar, in case anyone is infected or is suspicious of being infected. The sessions alerted the villagers and they followed all SOPs[2] strictly especially at homes.

“In my home, none of my children go out to play nor does my wife socialize with her friends or family. We have limited our external activities, and we only go out when food or important household commodities need to be purchased. We have been fortunate till date as no case of coronavirus has come up. To prevent the spread of the virus in our area, we remain secure at home and maintain physical distance,” Prem concluded positively.

[1] Disaster Risk Reduction
[2] Standard of Procedures

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Iqbal Mai, is a widow and a single mother of three children who lives in and belongs to Bait village of Punjab province. Bait village is home to almost a hundred families who primarily depend on farming activities for a livelihood. Iqbal Mai’s children, aged between 18 and 12 years, help her with sowing, harvesting, fertilisation and irrigation activities in the agricultural fields.

Mai’s husband was also a farmer who tragically passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest in 2014.

“After the demise of my husband, I had to take all the responsibility of caring for my children and home. The tragedy that was my husband’s death however did not lessen my hopes and determination of giving a better future to my children. I started to work on the fields; ploughing the lands, sowing the seeds, irrigating the lands and harvesting the crops. I strongly believe that literacy is critical to having a chance of a better future. I see it as something that will guide my children towards a brighter future and an improved standard of living,” shared Iqbal Mai.

Fifty-seven-year-old Mai manages to send her all children to a nearby local school through the income she has been earning from agricultural farming.

Through cultivation of wheat and cotton on a two-and-a-half-acre self-owned land, Mai earns an annual income of PKR 50,000 (Approx. USD 310). Cotton is assumed as one of the main cash crops in Punjab province which is the most Agri-enriched region of the country and contributes to 22% of the country’s total agri-business. The seasonal crops cultivated in Bait are irrigated with available canal channels and the river Chenab, which is a major source of water in the region.

To prepare the land for harvest season, Iqbal Mai took a loan of PKR 30,000 (Approx. USD 186) from a well-know landlord in their village. She took the loan to prepare the land to grow wheat.

“Last year, the wheat growing on the lands was severely damaged due to wheat leaf rustⁱ. I had no other option but to take a loan to prepare the land for the next harvest season. I rented a tractor for PKR 10,000 and also paid a tube well owner PKR 10,000 to provide water. The remaining amount was consumed on labor costs for ploughing the land. Sadly, all the harvest was lost.” The recent locust invasion on the agricultural lands in South Punjab destroyed acres of agricultural land including Iqbal Mai’s little livelihood source. “We tried all the indigenous techniques to get rid of the locusts such as waving rackets on the fields and using smoke to clear out the locusts, but nothing helped. All our hard work on the field was wasted in front of our eyes. We were unable to save our harvest and had no crops to sell.”

Community World Service Asia’s Emergency response team visited Bait village for an initial assessment to select the most vulnerable and underprivileged small-scale farmers affected by the locust attacks in the area for a short-term humanitarian project[1]. Iqbal Mai was selected as a project participant. Through the project she received two bags of 50 kgs of wheat seeds each, two bags of DAP fertilizer of 50kgs each and four bags of UREA fertilizer of 50kgs each. She plough the land with wheat seeds and is actively using the fertilizers to enhance the natural fertility of the soil.  Mai was also part of awareness raising, orientation and capacity enhancement sessions on learning skills and expertise about wheat cultivation techniques required to maximize yields in April and May 2020. Mai’s hopes are very high this year as she is positive to have rich and healthy crops at the end of harvest season in May 2021.

ⁱ Leaf rust, also known as brown rust, is caused by the fungus Puccinia triticina. This rust disease occurs wherever wheat, barley and other cereal crops are grown.

ⁱⁱ Livelihood Support to Small Agriculture Farmers affected by locust attack in the Punjab province project, implemented by Community World Service Asia and funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

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Chothay is a 26 year old mother of three who lives with her husband, Kapil and children in Haji Chanesar village of Umerkot.

“My husband teaches at a nearby private primary school. We also grow cotton and wheat as joint croppers on a 5-acre field close to our house. Together with my husband’s salary and our earnings from the field, we bring home an income of PKR 15,000/- (Approx. USD 91) every month.”

Most of Chothay and Kapil’s income is spent on household utilities and ensuring to provide three meals for their children. The couple’s elder daughter attends a private school in the locality for which they pay a monthly fee of PKR 1000/- (Approx. USD 6).

“We are used to cooking on conventional mud-made stoves, which have one burner that results in contiguous smoke emissions. This meant more fuel consumption and the fire was hard to manage. The intense fire also damaged cooking utensils and left dark stains on all our crockery and cutlery. With the fire being unmanageable due to high winds, there have been many cases of houses burning down or women’s hands being burned or lungs being affected due to spending long hours in the kitchen. It even took longer to cook the food,” explained Chothay.

Gathering wood for the fire was also a laborious job often shouldered by the women in the house.

“Most of us would have bruised hands and legs when we return from fetching firewood due to the difficulty in breaking the branches and shrubs from trees and bigger plants.” 

In October 2019, Community World Service Asia conducted a training on making and using fuel-efficient stoves for twenty-five women in Haji Chanesar. The participants of the training were taught how to construct the stoves and were sensitised on its health and environmental benefits, including reduction of smoke emissions and decreased deforestation with lesser wood consumption. These trained women then replicated the same training in more than five hundred households in over sixty villages in the last ten months.

“We witnessed multiple fire flaring-up incidents in Haji Chanesar in the months of May and June last year, resulting in burnt hands, depreciated kitchen utensils and increased air pollution due to the smoke. Whereas, ever since we have started using fuel-efficient stoves, such accidents have minimised. Lesser shrubs and branches are used and cut down now which has also resulted in increased forestry and greenery,” said Chothay.

Chothay and many housewives of rural Umerkot now consume less fuel to cook as compared to when using traditional stoves.

“We are now saving time as well as energy while cooking our meals. We are coughing less and cooking more all while using two burners simultaneously. It has also reduced health risks as we do not burn our hands and less smoke is generated. We are using lesser wood which has reduced deforestation in our area and we now see more greenery in our area which is refreshing.”

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The United Nations World Health Organization (UNWHO) standards state that a country should have at least a twenty-five percent forest cover to help conserve ecosystems that provide for all living things and also works as a barrier against disasters[1]. Forests play an important role in helping species, people and countries adapt to climate change. Sindh lags behind in reaching this standard.

According to the latest Sindh Forest Department data, the forest cover in Sindh has reduced to an alarming level of less than two percent, forcing an estimated one million people in the province to migrate to other areas in the last 30 years.

To mitigate climate change impacts and help reduce deforestation rates in Sindh, Community World Service Asia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Japan, and partners, have initiated a Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) project in Umerkot district of the province. As one of the project’s interventions, 334 women from eight villages were trained on effectively using a new technology of fuel-efficient stoves in their homes. The fuel-efficient stove is an energy system that has a positive impact on the ecosystem while providing basic cooking needs. The stoves are made of mud and straw. It enables cooking simultaneously on two burners and the flame can be controlled as per temperature required. As a result, it allows for less emission of smoke and less consumption of fuelwood. Thirteen of these training were conducted by women community mobilizers that oriented rural women on the use of the stoves and made them aware of its environment-friendly nature.

The trainings enabled the women in the communities to help reduce health risks associated with smoke emissions that women and children often experience while cooking on traditional stoves made of firewood. Consequently, it has reduced incidents of household fire that were caused due to uncontrollable firewood flames.

Cleaner environments and being provided cheaper cooking sources has been seen as a direct impact of these training and the increased use of fuel-efficient stoves.  The adoption of these stoves has significantly increased in the area since the training. Other women in the communities have also requested for training and construction of these stoves.

The utensils turned black when we cooked on traditional stoves using firewood. The fuel stove is a remarkable tool which not only saves time and fuel, but it endows relief in cleaning utensils. Many women in the community are requesting me to construct the fuel-efficient stove in their households. We are grateful to be introduced to these remarkable stoves,

shared Saleemat from Mandhal Thakar Village in Umerkot.

[1] https://www.dawn.com/news/1402307

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Rizwan Iqbal from Community World Service Asia welcomed the guest speakers and students during the opening session.

In recent years, the world has become increasingly aware of the disastrous impacts of natural hazards and climate change. In an effort to minimize the damages and adverse consequences caused by natural forces, humanity has united together time and again with global frameworks and commitments. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and Goal 11 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2015-30 are some of the key commitments global communities are working towards.

As signatories to these global commitments, Pakistan is compelled to make advances in its investments and efforts in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and to draw a roadmap for its successful implementation and streamlining into national policies and development goals.

Guided by its strategic priorities and in pursuance of Pakistan’s national DRR agenda, Community World Service Asia conducted a two-day DRR conference and a one-day exhibition in collaboration with the University of Sindh in Jamshoro and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Sindh, Pakistan in October (2017). This was the first of its kind conference ever to be conducted on DRR in the country.

This conference is the initial step in building awareness [of DRR] amongst people. The two-day conference and one-day exhibition will help develop participants’ understanding with regards to DRR and the important steps that must be taken for it. The awareness they are receiving can be incorporated in their future plans of working on DRR,

expressed Mohammad Ali Sheikh, Director Operation of PDMA, Sindh, who was guest speaker at the DRR conference in Sindh.

Professor Dr. Fateh Muhammad Burfat, Vice Chancellor, University of Sindh, officially opened the event and welcomed an audience of 383 participants, including 300 men and 83 women, at the national conference which was held at their University campus in Jamshoro. The conference gave a platform to climate specialists, relevant scholars, educationalists, government representatives, civil society members, humanitarian and development practitioners and students to speak on the topic and share ideas and experiences on DRR, its implementation and benefits.

A large number of students, academia members and local NGO representatives attended the conference. Participants at the conference and exhibition varied between experienced DRR and DRM practitioners and those planning to work on DRR in the future. Local and international organizations such as Kacchi Community Development Association, Oxfam, Muslim Aid, Participatory Village Development Program, University of Peshawar, Malteser International, Municipal Committee Bolhari, Tearfund are among the many that participated in this national event.

The broader objective of the conference was for participants to generate awareness and information on DRR and share the good practices and lessons learnt in the application of DRR while working with communities around the world. Through this, Community World Service Asia aimed to encourage networking between those involved in DRR and to avoid the duplication of DRR efforts, particularly in Sindh. This broader objective was further divided into more specific aims that were outlines in the conference agenda:

Ghazala Nadeem[1], DRR Expert, gave an introduction to the conference and exhibition and explained its objective to the audience,

CWSA is co-hosting this Conference and one day exhibition in collaboration with University of Sindh and PDMA, sharing knowledge, experience and efforts on the subject to a wider range of stakeholders envisaging opportunities for future collaborations, building on the past investments and avoiding duplication of DRR efforts & resources.

In addition, the Director of PDMA Sindh shared the overall functions and role of PDMA Sindh in the field of DRR and Disaster Risk Management (DRM). The Director also oriented participants on PDMA Sindh’s future plans, such as district disaster mapping and the establishment of Rescue 1122 at a district level.

We are also in the stage of planning to establish a Provincial Disaster Management Institute which will aim at disseminating knowledge in relation to DRR.

Over twenty guest speakers from various organizations and fields shared their knowledge on specialized aspects of DRR and DRM. Presentations ranged from Urban Search and Rescue Project to Research on Local Capacity Building on DRR.

The first 24 hours following any disaster are the golden hours for saving lives. For this reason, National Disaster Management Authority, Pakistan initiated the establishment of Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams in different parts of the country,

shared Col. Aijaz, General Manager ConPro Service, at the DRR Conference. He further added that the USAR teams are capable of national and international assistance in sudden onset of disasters. The members of the USAR teams are trained by a pool of internationally trained instructors.

However, there is a need to further advance the teams; refresher courses and joint exercises of the existing teams need to be conducted to update knowledge and skills of the team members.

Abdul Qayoom Bhutto, Director, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), ilustrated PMD’s Early Warning System (EWS) of DRR.

PMD’s EWS of DRR mitigates the potential damages for sustained socio-economic development from various natural hazards including floods, cyclones, landslides, drought, heavy rains and more. We have a combination of technology and associated policies and procedures designed to predict and mitigate the harm of natural and human-induced disasters. To further advance the functions of PMD, continuous coordination among stakeholders at all levels are required.

The Sendai Framework recognizes that while the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk, responsibilities should be shared with other stakeholders including local governments, the private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Moreover, social work students have to be knowledgeable of the Sendai framework of action to be able to intervene in disaster related problems,

shared Dr. Ibrar, University of Peshawar, during his session on Social Work and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. On both days of the presentation-based conference, the discussions and question-and-answer sessions facilitated participants’ engagement on Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) issues. These discussions were an effective platform to engage the youth, encouraging them to use their enthusiasm and skills in DRR and DRM projects. The participants shared their vision for inspiring and equipping students for DRR and DRM and developing a task force to respond to any future district-level emergency.

What did the conference achieve?

The conference helped bridge the gap between DRR professionals working on field and DRR experts researching on DRR-compliant infrastructures. Attendants left the conference with a greater knowledge of disaster resilience and management, which would help strengthen and develop organizational structures on the theme. Some were also able to discuss prospective partnerships and collaborative work. Ideas such as possible collaborative trainings for District Disaster Management Authority staff and university volunteers on Urban Search and Rescue were also highlighted. Moreover, the participants discussed promoting research-oriented DRR initiatives among each other.

Both structural and non-structural DRR initiatives would benefit communities by bringing technical and social research into practice. Participants agreed that it is important to establish effective policy and legal arrangements for mainstreaming DRR into safety regulations, like building codes, and other development laws. Not only would this help protect people from the adverse impact of natural disasters but it would also support the availability of appropriate financial and technical resources for DRR at local and national levels.

To highlight the good work of local, national and international organization in the area of DRR in Sindh, Community World Service Asia organized a one day Exhibition showcasing best practices and visibility material on the initiatives taken so far. A number of organizations had set up stalls at this exhibition held at the Sindh University and provided live demonstrations of emergency and relief services. This initiative helped in promoting the various DRR models practically and also acted as a bridge connecting researchers, students and NGOs to work in a collaborative way.

Omar Qayyum, a student of the Social Work Department of the University of shared,

The National DRR Conference and Exhibition was an unprecedented event conducted in University of Sindh. This was a new learning experiencing for all of us, as [DRR] is a very important topic. It is vital for the [social work] department since we will be able to play an active role in promoting DRR through our social work. It further enhanced our knowledge in how to keep ourselves safe from the natural disasters which are continual and often unpredictable.

Rashid Hussain, another student, corroborated,

We now know which organizations to approach for information or aid at times of disasters. The guest speakers shared their valuable contribution in the field of DRR. As a social worker, I will be able to share my learning about preparing oneself in times of emergencies with local communities. I plan to research on future trainings on disaster management so that I can volunteer my services if any emergency situation arises.

The National Conference on DRR was highly appreciated and the various stakeholders of DRR interventions have been encouraged to enhance and increase their work on helping build disaster resilient communities and decrease disaster impacts through informative workshops and engaging discussions conducted during the three day event.

[1] As one of founding member of ‘Resilience Group’; a young dynamic consulting house, Ghazala is providing disaster risk reduction expertise and consultation to various national and international organizations, especially I/NGOs, in the areas of Disaster Emergency Response, Risk Management, Capacity Building, Architecture & Programme Development. Ghazala has been involved in (regional) tsunami research along Makran & Sindh coast with national & international organizations/ experts, results and activities are available http://iotic.ioc-unesco.org/1945makrantsunami

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As country focal point in Pakistan and regional partner for Sphere in Asia, Community World Service Asia has assumed a leadership role in the field of Quality & Accountability (Q&A) among aid organizations in Asia since 2005. It has initiated and supported the recognition, understanding and adopting of Q&A principles in development and humanitarian assistance across Asia. We have been committed to mainstreaming Q&A standards, tools and practices throughout our programming. Our goal has been to promote and develop our internal technical capacity, as well as to support our colleagues and partners in the region to incorporate Q&A into their interventions. Community World Service Asia’s strategy continues to ensure shifts in mindsets and practices leading to a growing capacity to self-monitor the levels of Q&A compliance.

To further support humanitarian and development practitioners/organizations in the region and enhance synergy between current scope of our work and emerging needs on Q & A we have now become the focal point of ADRRN’s Q&A Hub in Asia. The Hub has been developed as part of ADRRN’s marketing strategy for 2020, to Increase the effectiveness of humanitarian response of front line national organizations in Asia through enhanced Q&A mechanisms. The main objectives of the Q&A Hub in Asia for the upcoming three years will be to:

  1. Ensure that ADRRN members/partners comply with the Q&A standards reflected through their organizational policies, procedures and practices
  2. Develop a pool of Q&A expertise amongst ADRRN members/partners to provide peer support in applying Q&A at organizational level during preparedness phase
  3. Mentor and coach ADRRN members/partners to promote Q&A amongst stakeholders at the national level especially the communities, local government and the academia
  4. Deploying Q&A expertise during humanitarian response in Asia to support ADRRN members/partners
  5. Developing a strong and visible Q&A Hub at Asia level to promote accountability through cross learning, peer support, research and advocacy

Read more on the ADRRN Marketing Strategy 2020 and its Hubs Toolkit here.

Download: ADRRN Hubs Toolkit

Download: ADRRN Strategy 2020 Marketing Toolkit

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International Day for Disaster Reduction, held annually on 13th October, celebrates the way that people and communities around the world reduce their exposure to disasters and raise awareness about the risks that they face. This includes disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness (UNISDR). This year at Community World Service Asia we are celebrating and looking back at all the work we have done with the communities we work with on reducing disaster risks and increasing their preparedness to natural hazards.

Essential to our strategic priorities, at Community World Service Asia, we believe disaster risk reduction is vital for building a more equitable and sustainable future. Through our various programming interventions, we have been investing in prevention and preparedness, together with the communities we work with, as a necessary part of all systematic efforts to increase resilience to disasters.

Click here to download Infographic 

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