Pakistan is the world’s sixth most populous country. However, it is vulnerable to large scale disasters and has endured several in the last decades.

Pakistan’s vulnerability lies in the context of instability, poverty and poor infrastructure. Earthquakes and flooding have most severely impacted upon rural communities. The local resources are scarce, wiping out crops and livestock and increasing people’s dependency on external aid.

In addition to the threat of earthquake and flood, Pakistan endures an annual heatwave with temperatures often reaching 50 degrees Celsius posing an immediate threat to the lives of children and the elderly. In 2015, 1,200 people died and 100,000 needed medical attention in Karachi, southern Pakistan.

How we are helping in Pakistan

Since 2005, our country office has provided support to over 2.9 million people affected by natural disasters, poverty and political tensions. We work with the Pakistani people and government to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, improving people’s lives and prospects. We are passionate about long-term development programmes that improve the education of all people across the country so that they may enjoy a bright future free from poverty. Our projects include:

• Establishing child welfare & development centres for over 700,000 children
• Providing over 500 children with regular sponsorship funds to meet their educational and health-related needs through our child sponsorship programme
• Developing an Islamic mode of microfinance to over 5,000 families to build and support their futures
• Building and providing health, nutrition, education and WASH services across the country

Between 2017 and 2018 we invested in educational welfare of the people of Rajanpur district, Punjab. Our education development programmes provided 1,522 children with:

• Teacher and school workforce
• Reconstruction to school buildings including new classrooms, clean water supply and sanitation
• Awareness campaigns on themes such as girls’ education and hygiene
• Equipment for disabled students to access learning
• Learning materials, books and resources

Our heatwave protection programme launched in 2018 to prepare and educate people on the dangers of heat. Our programme is focused primarily on the Sindh province, benefitting 20 million people and providing heatwave preparation and mitigation.
To improve the prospects of women and children, our development programmes include skills training.
Together with UNICEF we are working to improve hygiene practices and sanitation in remote communities to reduce the spread of disease and infant mortality. Our two-year programme launched in 2018 has provided:

• Sustained access to basic sanitation to more than 111,000 people
• Improved hygiene awareness and practice to 243,000 people