WIREDGOV

Leading international development charity VSO is helping to scale up and coordinate national volunteering in flood-affected Pakistan after a massive surge in calls from local people looking to help avert the spread of waterborne diseases.

Working closely with its partners led by the National Volunteer Movement, a national body set up to respond to the 2005 earthquake, VSO is helping coordinate efforts to train local volunteers in camp management, health and hygiene awareness and gender issues across the worst affected areas of Pakistan. 

Afaq Ali, VSO Pakistan’s Country Director said:
“You don’t often read about local volunteers in the international media but they are invaluable and the un-sung heroes of the response.  There is a real passion to help. Local volunteers are able to respond quickly and have immediate understanding of the culture, language and offer immediate access to the community. If coordinated well and given the right guidance, they can lend a huge amount of support to the international relief effort “

Over 150 volunteers arrived at a VSO funded training session in Karachi on Wednesday, almost double the numbers expected.  Many had travelled up to four hours to attend the training and were looking to work either in the camps or return to affected areas near their homes. The bulk of volunteers were teachers currently on their summer holiday planning to use their new skills at their school, many of which had been converted to temporary accommodation.

There are currently an estimated one million volunteers working across Pakistan building on the volunteering legacy of the 2005 Pakistan earthquake. VSO is helping to coordinate over 30,000 of these volunteers through the support it offers partners such as the National Volunteer Movement.  VSO is also helping to identify an estimated 1050 volunteers needed to work within the camps for up to six months, some of which VSO will train.

Afaq Ali said:
“Almost one month on from the initial flooding and the threat of waterborne diseases is high for the thousands still living in camps. The floods are ranging and there are areas that cannot be accessed through land.  With such a huge disaster, coordination is a massive challenge however volunteers can play a vital role ensuring the camps are well organised with clean water and good sanitation.“

VSO has operated in Pakistan for over 20 years working to promote and increase the number of national volunteers. It has so far built up a network of 30 partner organisations utilising national volunteering. VSO is not looking for international volunteers as part of its response to its relief effort.

To arrange an interview with Afaq please contact Louise Hill on 0208 780 7410/07500918478 or email louise.hill@vso.org.uk