In August 2022, the Government of Pakistan declared a ‘national emergency’ as torrential monsoon rains inundated the country.
The flooding killed at least 1,700 people, destroyed millions of homes, farmland and caused billions in economic losses. At one point, a third of the country was underwater.
Despite the devastation of the floods, communities are recovering and rebuilding their lives. The provision of clean water, latrines and cash transfers have transformed the livelihoods of affected communities.
Oxfam’s humanitarian response to the 2022 Pakistan Floods
Oxfam has been on the ground, working with local partners to reach communities who needed the most support. The initial response focused on the provinces of Balochistan and Sindh which were the hardest hit by the floods.
As of November 2022, over 370,000 people have been reached by Oxfam and partners and provided with emergency support.
So far, Oxfam’s response has focused on providing:
- Water, sanitation and hygiene: Ensuring access to clean water, toilets, hygiene kits, sanitation to keep communities healthy and limit the spread of disease.
- Food and economic security: Providing cash transfers to communities so they can purchase food and support local businesses.
- Protection: Providing dignity kits to women and girls, temporary shelters, clothing and blankets to protect families from the cold.
We have also worked with communities to help them rebuild after the floods. By installing hand pumps, providing cash assistance to re-invigorate local communities and building latrines we have helped to bring hope back to communities impacted by the floods.
Rebuilding hope and hygiene after the 2022 Pakistan Floods
“We have eight children and I had to fetch water during my pregnancies but now it’s convenient for us. I can even ask my children to get water.” – Seeta
Installing hand pumps has provided families like Seeta’s with accessible and safe drinking water, giving them the security they need to start rebuilding their lives.
“If the shop continues this way I will be able to send my children to school. The floods have been devastating for our villages and others as well and it seemed that the communities affected wouldn’t be able to recover but we are moving back to life. It rather seems like a miracle.” – Ghulam
Cash transfers have re-invigorated local communities and supported small, local businesses like Ghulam’s.
“We never had a toilet here. We would go out in the open. Imagine going out in the dark with dogs howling around. It was both scary and unsafe.” – Kizbano
The building of latrines has transformed communities like Kizbano’s, who never had toilets before.
