PRCS providing relief goods, services

31 Aug, 2010

The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), in collaboration with International Federation of Red Crescent (IFRC) and International Community of Red Crescent (ICRC), is providing assistance to over 0.3 million households and, so far, has reached 2.1 million flood affected people across the country. The PRCS, along with its partners IFRC, ICRC and Partner National Societies (PNSs), jointly responded to the floods, said Muhammad Khalid, PRCS spokesperson.
"We have established 32 medical camps and 30 mobile health units that are functioning in flood affected areas, and PRCS is also providing 1 million litres of purified drinking water per day", he said. He said that the IFRC and PRCS have launched a global appeal for CHF 200 million (Rs 16 billion) in support of emergency relief activities undertaken by the PRCS.
Khalid said that PRCS so far has received almost 70 percent of CHF 200 million and Rs 779.8 million has been pledged by international community out of which 94.1 million has been disbursed. The NGO is providing the affected people with food, drinking water, health and care (including PSP), water and sanitation facilities (watsan), restoring family links service (RFL) and non-food relief Items (NFI), he said.
'Save the Children', another international NGO working for the welfare of the children, has reached over 100,000 people through emergency medical care and distribution of tents, shelter kits, hygiene kits, food and other supplies, data collected through different sources by Business Recorder showed.
'Save the Children' is working in 11 districts of Pakistan through UN clusters and in partnership with national, provincial and district administrations, to provide assistance to flood affected families. 'Save the Children' has mobilised supplies and personnel and is providing emergency assistance to affected families.
It plans to establish over 90 child-friendly centres in flood areas to reinforce children's natural resiliency to respond to distressful and harmful events, enhance the capacity of families to care for their children and enable children to be active and positive agents in rebuilding communities. It has established 10 child-friendly spaces in Muzafargarh and four in Swat. Three mobile child-friendly spaces are also providing activities for children in DG Khan, Muzafargarh and Rajanpur.
The child-friendly spaces provide an area where children can participate in a range of age-appropriate games and learning activities. These activities help strengthen coping mechanisms for children, their families and communities and provide protection against exploitation of children through child labour, trafficking or abduction.

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