How we'll restore hope in Pakistan

This is a crossing point where people are trying to get back to their villages in Sindh Province. Photo: Pete O'Farrell/Mercy Corps

In a few days time, Muslims in Pakistan will celebrate the Eid al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. Millions will this typically festive occasion in tents far from home, in very hot, humid and unforgiving conditions.

Mercy Corps has been providing water, medical care, and hygiene training and kits to the camps for weeks now, and for most people, basic food, water, shelter and emergency medical care are being met. But make no mistake, the camps are hot, crowded, lack any type of privacy and are not happy places. These are dark days.

I just came back from upper Sindh Province, where I saw firsthand the amazing work our teams are doing helping meet the immediate needs of flood-affected families. But I did not go there solely to look at our current work. I also went to look at how Mercy Corps will help restore people’s homes, farms, shops and livelihoods. In essence, I went there to plan on how we are going to restore hope.

What I found was much of the area is still underwater. But as previously inaccessible areas begin to open, a picture of the extent of the devastation is becoming clear. A rapid assessment from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization provides a snapshot of the destruction: In Sindh Province alone, 883,000 acres of land was inundated by the flood water. This land was used for cultivating rice, corn, sugarcane, cotton and vegetables and many had standing crops in the fields when the flood hit, so in addition to the massive physical destruction of towns, relied upon food stocks were also wiped out.

Dead cotton fields, inundated with flood water. Photo: Pete O'Farrell/Mercy Corps

The massive destruction will have long-term and far-reaching implications, many of which may not be known for years.

Recognizing the size of the disaster and the need for people to get back on their feet as fast as possible, Mercy Corps will help the region restore, rebuild and prosper. As people begin to leave the camps to go back home, Mercy Corps will be with them.

The initial priority will be to get people the tools necessary to clean up their homes. In addition, we will begin an extensive cash-for-work program to get people back to work, get cash into the local economy, and clean up and restore community areas and infrastructure. Irrigation canals need to be cleared of silt, wells need to be dug, health clinics need repairs, markets need to be rebuilt and muddy walkways need to be cleared. These are the types of projects we will employ community members to do.

In addition to the need to restore common areas in towns and villages, the agriculture land is full of debris and silt. The land needs to be cleared and plowed in very short time frame so that farmers, who have already lost their existing crops, can prep their fields in time to plant wheat in October and November. For this, Mercy Corps plans to engage with local companies that provide mechanized plowing services to help work that rich silt into the soil so the fields are ready for cultivation.

Months from now, as lives begin to return to a level of pre-flood normalcy, Mercy Corps will continue working with affected communities to address long-term food security and disaster preparedness, to better prepare those for future disruptions.

Cotton fields are underwater in Sindh Province. Photo: Pete O'Farrell/Mercy Corps

After three weeks in Pakistan, I return to Portland filled with hope. I am incredibly proud of the work the Mercy Corps team is doing here. My colleagues have worked tirelessly through difficult conditions to help meet the immediate needs of thousands of people.

I also know that the recovery is not going to be short. A massive effort is required, but I am sure we are up to the task. We have worked in Pakistan for 24 years and have helped people through earthquakes, floods, and conflict. Through it all, the commitment we have to the people of Pakistan has not wavered.