23rd September, 2010
The ration that that we distributed on 3rd of September to the IDPs resident at Umer Goth of Karachi was consumed and the local persons contacted us again for a re-serving. After doing a proper verification we executed the Round 3 of serving at Umer Goth and distributed the following items:
§ Flour 10 KG – 45 bags
§ Cooking Oil 1 Litre – 45 bags
§ Daal Chanaa 2 KG – 45 bags
§ Rice 2.5 KG – 50 bags
§ Salt 1 Packet – 26 Packets
§ Red Chilli Powder – 19 Packets
20th September, 2010
We are in a continuous touch with our contact persons at Sehwan, their ration supplies have improved and the shortage of Rice and Pulses have been covered. As per our discussion over the last weekend, they are facing a shortage of Cooking oil, salt and red chilli powder as well as there is a desperate need of packing shoppers (as they received Flour, Rice and pulses in 50-100 KG bags) and they want to pack them in separate packages so to deliver the package to the families on an individual basis.
So on 20th of September, we dispatched our second shipment to Lal bagh camp of Sehwan that consisted of following stuff for around 3K families:
§ Cooking Oil 1 Litre – 3000 Bags
§ Salt 1 Packet – 3000 Bags
§ Red Chilli Powder 100gm – 3000
§ Cooking Oil 1 Litre – 3000 Bags
§ Salt 1 Packet – 3000 Bags
§ Red Chilli Powder 100gm – 3000
§ Packing Shoppers: (0.5, 2, 5 and 10 KG) – 5000+ shopping bags
15th September, 2010
As referred in the earlier post, when the Eid holidays were over we initiated the purchasing activity for the identified requirements. Before finalizing the purchase we re-contacted to our sources on the ground and found out that as the chances of Manchhar lake overflow are rapidly increasing so surrounding areas have been evacuated on an emergency basis, and the camp is now hosting thrice more as the ones we observed during our assessment visit. With this new intel and confirmation we updated our distribution plan and immediately dispatched a truck carrying the following items to the Lal Bagh camp for 1000 families:
§ Daal Chanaa 2 KG – 1000 Bags
§ Cooking Oil KG – 1000 Bags
§ Rice 2.5 KG – 1000 Bags
§ Salt 1 Packet – 1000 Bags
§ Red Chilli Powder 100gm – 1000 Bags
The truck was dispatched on the night of 15th and it reached the destination on 16th of September
14th September, 2010
We placed our order on 13th of September, at a ration wholesaler shop situated around UP more area but the guy asked us to pick it up by 14th morning so that he can provide us the ration in 250 packages. As we were in a definite need of the separate ration packages so we agreed and the same guy arranged transportation for us as well to transport the packages to Manghopir area.
We reached the place at around 4:PM, we spotted out a distribution spot where the representatives of these 250 families were present, the distribution took around 3 hours, we handed over the following ration package to each of 250 families:
§ Flour 10 KG – 250 Bags
§ Daal Chanaa 1 KG – 250 Bags
§ Ghee 1KG – 250 Bags
§ Rice 2.5 KG – 250 Bags
We are really thankful to our volunteers who assisted for the completion of this case, they remain on their toes from the assessment phase till the distribution phase. They asked us that they have also collected cash to help out the flood effected persons and they wanted to have a financial contribution for this case along with their physical contribution. We respected there gesture so for this case around 21% of the total amount spent was the one that was their collection.
12th September, 2010 (Eid 2nd Day)
After receiving a confirmation that a brief list has been prepared for the IDPs at Manghopir, on the 2nd day of Eid we visited the place. At the place the registration was continued from Fajr timings and a list of around 263 families was present with the following information:
Person name
Fathers’Name
Pre-flood resident area
NIC number
Number of family members
After an scrutiny phase of the list and confirmation about the pre-flood resident area of the IDPs there, we decided to serve ration for ~250 families there. Our next step is to search for a ration vendor in a nearby location to Manghopir who can give us cheaper rates and quicker delivery.
11th September, 2010 (Eid 1st day)
Eid Mubarak
As referred in the earlier relevant post, a team of our volunteers visited the Manghopir area for the need assessment of the IDPs that were reported to be present there. On Eid evening they visited the place and were able to meet the local contact of ours to have a discussion about the number of persons present there, their previous area from where they got displaced and the issues that they were facing.
They found out that the IDPs that are present there mostly belongs from Meharr and Khairpur Nathan Shah areas of Sind. They were referred to be scattered at various places in the Manghopir area including multiple surrounding Gothhs. Our local contact was asked to make a proper list of the people there in a family wise manner so that we may have a verification phase.
Now we would be waiting for the confirmation of the list availability so to start the verification phase there as per our defined protocol
Updates: 9th September, 2010 (Chaand Raat)
A couple of days earlier to Eid, the network that assisted us in transportation / distribution of food items to Sajawal families referred us about some prospect needs in the relief camp Laal Bagh, Sehwan so we planned a visit to the place. As Sehwan is at a distance of around 273 KM from Karachi that is a drive of around 3.5 – 4 hours straight so that comes out as a whole day activity. We planned to utilize the Pre-Eid holiday i.e. Friday 9th September for that purpose and were on our way at around 5:45 AM just after Sehri.
Sehwan – Releif camp @ Lal Bagh
After travelling for around 3.5 hours and a distance of 273 KM and bypassing the cities of Hyderabad and Jamshoro we reached Lal Bagh area. There were around 6500 persons in the camp that was already established there. After having a assessment and discussion with the responsible persons there, we spotted out and being told as well that they had ration (including flour, rice, sugar, pulses etc.) available for them for the next 7-8 days around and the supplies are in continuation. When we mingled up with the IDPs resident in the camp and having a discussion with the persons who were responsible for ration distribution, we found out that the basic ration items are available but there is an acute shortage of Salt and Chilli powder that are essential for cooking any sort of pulse or curry.
Sehwan – Manchhar Lake
From there we moved ahead towards Manchhar lake (that wasn’t over flooded yet) to see if there are some people who need some relief activities. Manchhar lake is at a distance of around 25 min drive from Sehwan. When we reached the place, that was crowded with locals who were on their toes to strengthen the lake banks so that there may be no catastrophy due to this huge bulk of flood water that was continuously coming to the lake so that it can be drained out to Indus river.The water level at that point was noted down by us as reaching to 117 feet height (the total capacity of the lake was 121 Feet)
Dadu and Meharr
From there we planned to move towards Dadu (around 45 KM away from Sehwan) and ultimately to Meharr (around 80-90 KM away from Sehwan). After entering to the limits of Dadu district we observed some intense activity with a couple of excavators that were strengthening a defense wall in front of Dadu city. On the way we talked to a couple of persons about the situation of Meharr city and found out that the city is surrounded by water and its nearly impossible to enter the city at this moment via road. we decided to return back from this point and thought to purchase the required Salt and Chilli powder from the Bhhan Saeedabad or Sehwan market. we were unable to do so because of the fact that we couldn't locate an ATM in both of the cities (we didn't had any cash available with us as this was an assessment phase as well as the on-ground situation didnt permit to carry cash with us)
Coming back to Karachi
We left for Karachi at around 3:30PM and on the way back faced a horrible storm as well as heavy showers while driving on the highway. We did the last Iftar of this Ramadan at a gas station at Noori Abad and continued our journey back to Karachi. When reaching home at around 8:30 PM of Chaand raat, when we checked our speedometer then we found out that we’ve done a coverage of around 700 KMs in a single day.
We would be trying to contact our sources in Karachi to arrange for the Salt and Chilli powder so to ship them to Sehwan during or immediately after Eid holidays.
Next Plan :)
Within 30 minutes of reaching home, a phone call got received mentioning about the presence of a large number of families in the Manghopir area of Karachi that are in an urgent need of Food stuff. One of our volunteers group have been contacted to carry on a pre-assessment phase to sort out the necessities out there. As per the groups’ commitment they would visit the place on Eid day.
So thumbs up and Yes! Chaand Raat Mubaarak :)
75KG Rice
150KG Flour
15 Liter Cooking Oil
10 Kg Daal Chana
5 Kg Daal Arhar
1KG Red Chili
1.5 Kg Tea
15 KG Sugar
2 KG Dry Milk
200 Kg FlourNote: The cost for the ration supplies was paid by the same IT guy who referred us to this place, we tried to convince him to let us pay for this but his point was that he wanted to serve here himself but dont want to let the people know about it
100 Kg Rice
10 Kg Daal Chana
15 Kg Daal Masoor
25 Kg Ghhee
10 Kg Onions
25 Kg Sugar
5 Packs Salt
2.5 Kg Tea
5 Kg Powdered Milk
1Kg Red Chilly
20 Packs Match Box
3 Cooking Pots (Degchi) 2 Big 1 MediumAs they belong to the same village and had relationships with each other so we provided the number of utensils that may help them out in cooking their food in a combined manner
6 Tray (Thal) 2 sizes
24 Plastic Plates
3 Cooking Spoons
2 Jug
2 Knife
24 Plastic Glass
1 Chhalni
1 Set Chakla Belan
2 Roti Tawa
Updates of 3rd September 2010
Through one of our local source in Umer Goth, we get information that the ration we distributed to 44 families earlier is about to end. So we plan another phase of distribution in that area. We immediately arranged 44 packages of ration, where each package contains following items:
We load these packages on to a suzuki and went straight to Umer Goth for distribution of these packages.
Updates of 2nd September 2010
We went straight to Army’s Circuit House in Thatta and load all packages in a new truck and transport them to Sujawal and finally distribute it to 255 families there.
Updates of 1st September 2010
We split ourselves in two teams, first team went straight to Sujawal to give ration tokens to 450 families so we can distribute packages peacefully. Our second team went to near by market to purchase 450 packages of ration, where each package contains following items:
When we were loading and transporting these packages into trucks we got information from our team in Sujawal that a considerable number of families have gone and there are now remaining 255 families. We decided to use rest of the packages elsewhere and move towards Sujawal. But, unfortunately our truck stuck in the middle of the way and then came a dust storm, we tried hard to save the ration loaded in the truck and on a suggestion from Army people we moved all packages to nearby Thatta circuit. We decided to transport these packages to Sujawal next day insha’Allah and called it a day.
Updates of 30th & 31st August 2010
We tried very hard to get security cover from either Army, Rangers or Police but failed to obtain such. While exploring area around Makli and Thatta, we identified a local network who helped us in our working in Sujawal area. So we started our assessment in this area and identified a total of ~ 450 families there. We will be insha’Allah serving those families tomorrow.
Updates of 29th August 2010
While we were searching the area surrounding Makli and Thatta today, we identified some concentration on a mountain 2 – 3 km off highway after Gujjo. We went there and start assessment of the area. There were total 18 families and they came from Jati, Sindh. They were un served up till now and need ration on urgent basis. We went ASAP to near by market to arrange ration for these families on urgent basis. We arranged 18 packages each of them containing following items:
After purchasing, we loaded and transport these packages to the identified area and distribute them to those families.
