1 thar diary daily update day 1-4

8/12/2019 1 Thar Diary Daily Update Day 1-4

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/1-thar-diary-daily-update-day-1-4 1/25

Thar Diary

March 22-26, 2014

Day 1: (22-03-2014)

(Team Members: Dr Zahoor, Hassan Shah, Nasir Hussain & Saleemullah Baig)

First day was arrival to Karachi from Islamabad, the flight was a bit late due to VIP air trafficking

and we reached Karachi at around 2 pm.

My team has suggested that we send daily updates to core office and relevant people to keep all

of us, including myself, up-to-date with what’s happening in field.

After reaching Karachi the meeting was done with Director Food & Beverages Mr. Waseem

Baig in PC hotel Karachi where all the food packaging details and delivery modes were



discussed. It was agreed that the final order will be placed after the local market survey of

Mitthi, Tharparker. Whereas the quotation from PC hotel management will be shared on

Monday, March 24, 2014. The second meeting was done with PC admin staff that includes Mr.

Asif Ur Rehman & Mr. Atif Ahmed Khan. A very fruitful discussion was done and available

clothing stuffs were shown, it was examined that available clothes includes children’s wearing,

track suits & and simple trousers and the whole stuff consists of 72 cottons. It was agreed that

the clothing material will be supplied to the affected areas when requested. After the meeting

we moved towards hotel for next day planning and rest and thus concluded the first day in

Karachi……..until tomorrow.

Day 2: (23-03-2014)

Second day we moved from Karachi to Mitthi, Tharparkar, Sindh.

There was a call of strike from GIKSM (Nationalist Party) in Sindh on Sunday because of killing

of their workers, so we reached our destination at 8:00 pm. After reaching Tharparker safely

we met the Banhn Beli team at their Mitti office , where we met many of the people working



there and we discussed the current famine and drought situation, current government and

NGO response and logistics issues involved in the next few weeks. Specifically, issues regarding

the identification of beneficiaries, food parcels, recruitment of health staff, hiring vehicle for

mobile health unit, our transportation around the district as well as the issue of female health

staff who can take care of MCH issues, which will be necessary in order for maternal and child

care in remote villages.

The whole agenda on this relief initiative and proposal was discussed and Baan-Beli team was

requested to help in field activities that include identification of vulnerable people and

distribution of food packs. It was agreed that Baan-Beli team will assist us in field activities and

all possible support will be provided.

Day 3: (24-03-2014)

Third day was started with meeting with DCO Tharparkar Mr. Imran Bhatti and other local

government officials. It was expressed by the local administration that three Tehsils of the

District Tharparker are severely affected by the famine and drought, those includes, Islamkot,

Mitthi and Diplo, whereas government had distributed 50 kg wheat bags to approximately

259,000 families but still people lack basic food items. DCO requested HF team to work in the



above said three highly affected Tehsils and to distribute food items to poor and vulnerable

families. After the meeting with DCO a meeting with the team of Muslim Hands International

was conducted to know their interventions and to analyze the existing gaps which could be

fulfilled. It was analyzed that Muslim Hands International is working on food security issue of

migrated people, whereas the people who are living in their houses are not in their domain. It

was also advised by the Muslim Hands team that HF must focus on the far areas of three highly

affected Tehsils instead of focusing the nearby areas which had already received from some

NGOs. Another meeting was conducted with the staff members of Helping Hands and it was

identified that they are working on safe water distribution and basic health units since 15th of

March. In this comprehensive meeting different ideas related to HF-Mobile Health Unit and

food distribution were shared and it was also suggested by HF team that a cluster meeting of all

working NGOs must be called, this will help to analyze that which areas needs more focus and

which areas are still deprived with aid as well as who is doing what. Similarly from the meetings

with governmental and non-governmental organizations it was suggested that HF must made his

own Warehouse where food bags can be stored and that would also be declared as food

distribution point, because it is very difficult to take the trucks to the local community areas as

roads and infrastructure is not present and the population is very much scattered, so it was

decided that food ration cards will be given to deserving and vulnerable people and they will be

asked to collect food bags on a specific date from a specific place, that would be ourwarehouse. While the team was involved in meeting with governmental and nongovernmental

officials Mr. Saleem was visiting the local markets to take quotations of food items which we are

supposed to distribute by Sunday. Quotations from the local venders were collected and rates

were compared.

After the meeting with Helping Hand team along with the volunteer from Baan-Belli moved to

the affected areas of Mitthi.



Focus group discussions were done to assess the basic problems and needs of people and it

was evaluated that malnutrition is the main issue for the common people.

Many of them are currently suffering of severe food insecurity and further loss in their livestock

due to fodder scarcity as most animal also died;



these are heartbreaking stories of children dying of malnutrition and infectious diseases and on

and on.



Similarly our team moved door to door and examined the socio-economic situation of

community and almost 50 vulnerable families were give food ration cards after filling their bio

data form.

A focal person was assigned in the community and he was requested to communicate the

decided date and venue, as decided by HF team, to those people who had received the food



ration cards.

We left the Tehsil Islamkot field area as the sun was setting on the world largest desert and

finally the team moved back to hotel and have a short meeting regarding next day agenda and



tasks.

Day 4: (25-03-2014)

Wait till night…….

25-3-2014: (Day 4)

Tuesday, March 25, 2014, a hot sunny day gave a new strength to the team. After the breakfast the team

was divided into two groups, first group consisted me (Dr. Zahoor) and Mr. Saleem Baig whereas the

second group includes Mr. Hassan Shah and Mr. Nasir Hussain.

First group was supposed to meet with the local property dealers to identify and select the best suitable

and feasiable place that can serve as warehouse and food distribution center for the beneficaries. Such

place is needed that is safe according to security point of view and on the same side easily assessable to

selected beneficaries to collect their food bags. Similarly the second agenda of first team incudes to

finalize the most suitable vender/supplier after having a comparative price statement analysis.



Second group was supposed to move to field to select the most affected and vulnerable people that are

severly affected by the drought. As discussed in the early report, three Tehsils (Mitti, Islamkot and

Diplo) are badly affected by drought and today team was suppose to focus on one Tehsil i.e. IslamKot

which is 45 kilometer away from Mitti. On the same side this team had to identify, register and

distribute the food cards to selected vulnerable community members.

Second team reached Tehsil Islamkot and with the help of a volunteer Mr. Cheetan we visited the two

worse affected villages, that includes village Shehmir Vickya and Darailo Paro. After initial discussion

with community elders the team moved door to door and assesed the condition of the villigers. During

the course of time HF team observed some heart touching stories of poor and vulnerable people of the



community.

Their socioeconomic conditions reflectes their disparity and backwardness, even in this 21 st centery

they don’t have access to basic needs of life like food, health facility, safe drinking water etc. Almost 120

vlunerable and poor households were identified and registered for food assiatnce .



While Hassan and Nasir were busy in the identification of vulnerable people me and Saleem examinedthe food samples, obtained final quotations from local venders of food and finally made the comparative

statements of all quotations received from PC Karachi and two local venders.

That comparative price statement was shared with the higher management at core office and finally

purchase order was issued by the respective department. After this key activity we met the local



property dealers for the arrangement of warehouse.

Three buildings were visited and they were critically evaluated to ensure security and accessibility issues.

Up till now the final place has not been finalized and tomorrow some more suitable buildings would be

visited.

We also observed that the recent displacement from remote areas of Tharparker has reached half

million and 70% of them are children and 20% women and elderly (some men have stayed back to look

after their elderly terminal ill patient or have already gone to other cities to work.) and the biggest

concentration of migrated population is in district Badeen and district Nawabshah but they have also

spread up to Hyderabad and Karachi.



The major accomplishment of today is that we manage to take some short heartbreaking stories with

the help of volunteers to interpret for us these heart touching stories. This volunteer, Cheetan,

helped translate for the team that put together the previous case histories, and is,

therefore, very familiar with the culture, language and the villages we will be visiting.

Raai Chand a poor old man of 70 years age lost his six buffalos and twenty sheep in this drought. Last

year due to the unavailability of basic health facilities he lost his young son and wife, both initially were

suffering from high grade fever and malaria and ended in cerebral Malaria. Last week someone told him

that government had sent relief trucks to nearby roads, when he visited the site he saw that it is notpossible for him to get these goods in this rush and mismanagement so he decided to come back. When

HF team visited his home and he was persuaded that he will get food without humiliation then he was

very happy and a ray of hope emerged on his face.



Cattle and livestock is the main source of survival for the Thar people, but after the drought the cattle

had been severely affected and most of the people are now living a miserable life. An old women

Ranno lost all of her cattles in drought, these were the main source of survival for her as she use to sell

the milk of her goats and cows. Raano is also raising the family of her widow daughter and after the loss

of cattle she had now started stitching the handmade bed sheets. It takes almost a week to stitch one

bed sheet from hand whereas the wage is only five hundred which is very meager to run such a huge

family. HF team provided him the food ration card which will be helpful in mitigating her sorrows and

worries.



People of Tharparker are facing serious food insecurity and health issues. Maai Jothoo is suffering from

muskeloskeltal problems and muscle wasting from the last 2 years and now she has also developed

muscular dystrophy and she is unable to do anything, but due to unavailability of health facilities she is

living a miserable life. Muscle wasting is one of the worst indicators of severe malnutrition in which body

muscles are damaged. Her son, a father of eight children, is a poor daily wager and he is unable to

finance the costly health services. According to medical science Muscle wasting is the worse condition of

malnutrition and in this disease body muscles cramps, aches and patient is unable to move.

Finally almost 120 vulnerable beneficiary families were identified by the team and food rations cards

were given to those identified families. Volunteers also played a commendable role in this whole process

and they served as communication and other facilitating factor for the HF team. On the same side team

is in search of safe, secure and accessible warehouse to store the food parcels and to make that place as

food distribution point.



Following the 120 registrations of family and some detailed interviews the team felt too drained and

exhausted but at the same time they were thrilled and excited that shortly these vulnerable families

would be getting relief from HF emergency relief and the process of registering the families will be

continue in next two days. Together we make a difference

To be continued……

26-3-2014: (Day 5)

Temperature in Thar Desert is increasing day by day along with the enthusiasm of HF relief team.

Another bright sunny day was started with an internal meeting and agenda point was discussed. We had

a quick overview of our targets and goals and briefly discussed the plan and after that headed out for

field.

Team members were agreed to be the same as yesterday. The first team that includes me and Saleem

was supposed to visit the surrounding areas for the selection of suitable and accessible warehouse, on

the same side team has to take the quotations for the HF Mobile Health Unit (MHU) and ambulances.

Similarly the second team that consists of Hassan and Nasir was supposed to move in field to identify

the poor and vulnerable people, for this Tehsil Diplo was selected which is badly affected by the drought

and infectious diseases and it is approximately 70 Km away from Tehsil Mitthi.

First of all village Khenroi of Tehsil Diplo was visited by the second team. In meetings with governmental

and nongovernmental organizations it was evident that Tehsil Diplo is worst affected by the present

drought and in ground it was personally observed by HF team. Many miserable and heart-touching cases

were seen and it was made sure that no deprived and vulnerable family is left without food ration card.



Door to door assessment was done by the HF team and people were inquired about their needs,

problems, common prevailing communicable

and non communicable diseases and animal

morbidities and causalities. It was assessed

that a huge portion of the population is

heavily affected, epidemics of infectious

diseases had causes losses of precious

human life and on the same side livestock

(cattle) which is the main bread and butter

of these poor people, is also profoundly

affected. Most of the people are spending

miserable life and they even don’t have the

basic food to eat.

After detailed assessment, food ration cards were issued to every deserving and most affected family

head after filling detailed bio data form by HF team.

When Hassan and Nasir with support of volunteers were busy in identification of vulnerable and poor

people of affected areas, I and Saleem had a coordination meeting with all NGOs working in Tharparkar

district. As I mentioned in day 2 daily update report that we tossed the idea of having a cluster meeting

in Tharparkar where all the stakeholders sit on one table and discuss the current situation and plan of

action. In pursuance of this idea we had a meeting with representative of PDMA Sindh, Al-Mustafa

Welfare Society, Helping Hands, Falah Insaniat Foundation, Pakistan Rangers and Muslim Hands this

morning. We discussed the situation of the Tharparkar affectees and their current dire needs. We also

informed them that HF is in the process of setting up a base camp/warehouse in Tehsil Mitti and our

focus is on helping the most vulnerable food insecure population and malnourished women and children

immediately with food ration and mobile health interventions. The PDMA is willing to work with us but

after they have declare it emergency but there is some political vested interest. The current situation we

discussed is follow,

Many poor Thari families were moving to barrage areas, along with their livestock. The recent

displacement from remote areas of Tharparker has reached half million and 70% of them are

children and 20% women and elderly (some men have stayed back to look after their elderly

terminal patient or have already gone to other cities to work.)



The biggest concentration of migrated population is in Badeen and Nawabshah but they have

spread up to Karachi.

There is no registration process started by provincial Ministry of Social Welfare.

Some organizations are providing uncooked food on per month per family basis in main Mitti

city without any survey in remote villages and other organizations like Muslim Hands

International and Al-Mustafa Welfare Society has established a central kitchen where food is

cooked and distributed in migrated population.

Harsh weather conditions and the temperature goes up with every passing day

Immediate needs identified during the discussion

Food Parcels

MCH services & Medicines

Animal Fodder

Clothing

Water & Hygiene kits

Long term needs identified

Education

Health

Livelihood projects(Livestock/Honeybee farming projects)

Skill enhancement/trainings

Water Sector



Jamna an old emaciated women, explaining hercondition to the HF team

Focus group discussions (FGD) and door to door visits of village remained the core essence of field

activity. At first we felt somewhat uncertain about how to approach this deprived community members

for FGD, but their smiles, humble gestures and contented behavior invited us with no hesitation. Weconversed with community elders for about one hour about so many various topics that we did not

even notice at the time of commencement were also brought into light.

Dhepeka, a cute little doll of age 2.



During the FGDs the people of the community were smartly provoked and their needs and problems

were identified. This helped the team to identify and analyze the socioeconomic and demographic

condition of that community. Different question were asked to the community members in a very

interactive way and very prompt and positive replies were noted.

The first priority that was identified is to obtain the food ration and water to mitigate hunger and

malnutrition. The next two greatest assistance needs are securing access to clean drinking water and

access to basic health services and livestock saving interventions. The Respondents also identified

treatment for acute illnesses, followed by child health care and care for chronic illnesses as their top

health priorities.

District Tharparker had highly affected by the drought and after media coverage to this sensitive

issue many governmental and nongovernmental organizations sent their relief fleets to facilitate Thar

destitute people. But it is noticed that those relief fleets concentrated their services to main cities or the

areas which are connected with main road and far-flung areas were seriously ignored, although those

were highly affected.

Realizing this reality, and proving the real meaning of Tharparkar (Thar means sand region and Parkar

means "to cross over), HF team decided to move into desert and planned to reach those areas that are

out of access for normal car, truck or local transport. For this reason a Potohar Jeep was hired and

team moved towards Village Arjak, which is about 30 Km inside desert from Diplo city.



In the last HF team moved village Sabrhi which is the residence of Kohli Hindu tribe. People

belonging to Kholi tribe are traditionally regarded as untouchable and they are also among the most

vulnerable segment of society and they are also badly affected by the drought. People are living

miserable life and they don’t have basic resources for survival. The main source of their income is cattle

grazing and daily waging. HF team visited the whole village and identified the most affected people of this

community and food ration cards were distributed. It was observed that provision of this food items

would be a great supporting factor for this deprived community and it will also help them to ease their

household budgetary issues.

Below is the summary of our 3 days work at field,

Summary of Identified Families up till 26th March 26, 2014

Date No of families Villages Tehsil District Distance

from Mithi

24-03-2014 50 Baraj Mithi Tharparkar 32 km

25-03-2014 120 Shehmir Vickya and

Darailo Paro

Islamkot Tharparkar 45 km

26-3-2014 130 Khenroi, Arjakh and

Sabhri

Diplo Tharparkar 70 km

By the time we were done, it was night time and we had to leave for Tesil Mithi. In another 1 hours of

Sandy/Windy/Bumpy jeep driving and talking about scary stories of snacks and reptiles in the Tharparkar

1 thar diary daily update day 1-4

Documents