wfn.org | *Pakistan Recovery Situation Getting Grim,* Says Church World Service

["Lesley Crosson" <lcrosson@churchworldservice.org>]

NEWS UPDATE

"Pakistan Recovery Situation Getting Grim," Says Church World Service

NEW YORK - Mon Jan. 23 -- 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.

Media Contacts:
Jan Dragin - 24/7 - (781) 925-1526, jdragin@gis.net
Lesley Crosson, (212) 870-2676, lcrosson@churchworldservice.org

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EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE: Please include in your listings of responding
agencies:

Contributions to support earthquake survivors can be sent to: Church World
Service Southern Asia Earthquake --#6979, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.
Contributions can also be made online at Contributions can also be made
online at http://churchworldservice.org, or by calling 800.297.1516, ext.
222.