Tackling hunger and boosting livelihoods in drought-stricken Balochistan

Tackling hunger and boosting livelihoods in drought-stricken Balochistan

Islamic Relief is providing lifesaving assistance to families fighting to survive in water-scarce Balochistan and helping them become more resilient to drought.

Recurring droughts in Balochistan, Pakistan, have in the last few decades become more frequent, intense, and unpredictable. A long spell of dry seasons spanning over five years has affected about 1.9 million people, as water sources such as wells and ponds have dried up. Tens of thousands of people have left the region. Leaving behind their homes and livelihoods, they now face an uncertain future.

For many of those that remain, decimated livelihoods mean hunger is an everyday companion – especially in the worst affected districts: Chagai, Kharan, Noshki and Washuk.

Islamic Relief’s response to the drought is providing immediate support to keep hunger at bay, and also bring about longer-term change by boosting the resilience of communities to drought.

In Chaghai and Kharan, Islamic Relief is helping 1,000 families banish hunger and rebuild their livelihoods. They are receiving poultry, food and vaccinations for their livestock, and kitchen garden kits so they can use wastewater from their homes to grow food. A further 1,000 families in Chagai are also benefiting from these interventions, thanks to funding by the Pakistan Humanitarian Pool Fund (PHPF) of UNOCHA.

Original source: Islamic Relief
Published on 16 April 2019