January 23, 2006

NEW YORK – In the first 100 days since a powerful earthquake hit northern Pakistan in October last year, killing 73,000 and leaving up to three million people homeless, the humanitarian aid community has encountered a host of challenges and is now facing its biggest test: harsh winter weather settling in over the quake-affected mountainous areas.

Despite the current let-up in precipitation in the beleaguered region, the situation still teeters on a second-wave disaster. "It has been a challenge from day one to respond to this emergency because of the high terrain, culture, security – all the challenges you can imagine," said Marvin Parvez, director of Church World Service-Pakistan/Afghanistan (CWS).

Since the quake, Church World Service aid teams on the ground have been rushing to meet the needs of thousands of survivors in camps and mountain villages, especially those at higher altitudes that will soon be cut off by winter weather and snow.

"As the winter comes in, the situation has gotten more grim," said Parvez, speaking by phone from Pakistan. But he said he believes the relief supplies Church World Service and other humanitarian aid organizations have been able to get to survivors so far has put thousands of people in a better position to get through the winter.

The focus for CWS is how to support survivors through the winter. The main issue, Parvez said, is "how do we meet these challenges, especially at 5,000 feet, with snow all over the place, with winds so strong?"

Shelter has been a major concern for Church World Service in the initial phases of its operation. Now, following its distribution of 19,000 tents and 6,130 sheets in the past three months, the global agency's Pakistan staff has turned to other winter essentials, distributing, among other items, nearly all of the 43,000 sweaters and blankets it recently received from members of the Geneva-based consortium Action by Churches Together.

"The winter has been unusually harsh this year again," Parvez said. He added that with 1,600 aftershocks, survivors have continued to be affected in many ways. "It's a constant battle for these survivors."

Parvez added that the situation in the last several days has become serious again. "Recent assessment and monitoring teams going out on mountaintops have come back having seen some very difficult situations."

Church World Service is working to supply camps in the valleys – where many mountain residents are quickly moving to – with blankets, plastic sheeting and warm clothing, as well as helping to make water and sanitation facilities available.

"We are trying to assist the army and government to scale up so they can receive these new people," Parvez said.

Although there are still many weeks of harsh weather ahead, Parvez reported that some residents in camps for displaced people are already looking forward to the future.

According to Parvez, psychosocial teams working with men's and women's groups in the camps that CWS is managing are starting to talk with camp residents about life after the camp and moving back to their villages.

Church World Service teams working in camps have organized meetings to motivate residents and have held regular meetings with men to encourage them to think about reconstruction of their homes and villages. "We're talking and planning for how to rebuild houses. The recovery plans of CWS are in place," Parvez said. "We're talking to people about accompanying and supporting them through the rebuilding process."

In addition to Action by Churches Together member Norwegian Church Aid, more than 50 ACT members and partners of Church World Service around the world have contributed funds or material goods to the effort for Pakistan survivors.

An international relief, development, advocacy and refugee assistance agency working in 80 countries, Church World Service's Pakistan/Afghanistan office has been operating in the region for more than 50 years.

CWS is continuing its U.S. fundraising campaign to support ongoing emergency relief and reconstruction work in the quake-devastated region.

Church World Service humanitarian partners in Pakistan Action by Churches Together (ACT) contributed to this report.

Church World Service