SOUTH ASIA FIELD REPORT - COVID-19 RELIEF PROJECT
Pakistan is the 5th largest country in the world with more than 230 million people, but 30% of Pakistanis live below the poverty line. As of this writing, the country has recorded more than 37,000 COVID-19 patients and 800 deaths. The government imposed a countrywide lockdown in March which had a devastating effect on the poor who lost their daily wage jobs such as rickshaw drivers, house cleaners and small shopkeepers. The government launched initiatives to provide cash assistance to low-income families. However, registering for the program has been a huge challenge for many of the illiterate poor. This has been especially the case for the minority communities, many of whom don't speak Urdu, the official language, but speak Punjabi. Typical applications for assistance are only in Urdu. In addition, there are a number of published reports about how minority groups have systemically been left behind in terms of official assistance.
Many families began calling our friends at RAM Foundation desperate for help. None of these families have received any government or other charitable assistance especially due to their minority status.
World Compassion Fellowship and RAM Foundation have worked together to put together hundreds of Food/Hygiene Care Packages to the neediest minority families in the Lahore area. We have setup a relief station at the Sablone Shelter and Vocational Training Center outside Lahore. The Care Package items include rice, pasta, beans, flour, dry milk, soap, multipurpose cleaner, face masks, gloves and hand sanitizers.
So far, we’ve been able to distribute the Food/Hygiene Care Packages to 200 of the neediest families in this community.
More than 450 families actually came requesting help. We advised the people to keep social distance, but the people are desperate for food. They are more afraid of hunger than the virus.
Our partners said - "As the Bible says “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love”. (1 Corinthians 13:13). The people who received the care packages were very thankful for the love which you showed with your donation. We are trying to help as many families as we can. We need your continuous support in this regard."
In addition, thousands of minority families are stuck in modern day slavery at brick kilns across Pakistan. During the pandemic, our friends were getting many messages from many brick kiln families to help them as they completely ran out of food. Without any hope of outside assistance, they were almost without hope, but we have thankfully been able to step into the gap and provide Food/Hygiene Care Packages to 100 families at these brick kilns. They were very thankful for these vital items provided during this difficult time as they literally had nothing.
Thank you for helping to make this possible!
WCF Team
