WE ARE REVIVING LIVES IN DISTRICT KOHAT

A BLOG BY MR. TALHA RAJA

Kohat is a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province of Pakistan and the capital of the Kohat District. The town is well known for its British-era fort, various bazaars, military cantonment, mountains and the Kohat Dam. Filled with lush green fields, the land is suitable for cultivation of fruits and crops with Guavas as one of the best produce. The people are very hospitable and welcoming. Due to the unfortunate incident of sectarian violence, district Kohat has sheltered large off-camp Internally Dispersed Persons (IDPs). These IDPs have had to leave their homes to find shelter in the outskirts of the city. It was heart-wrenching to see these IDPs deprived of the basic necessities of life. Women and children were undernourished, consuming contaminated water causing diseases, with no access and affordability of medicines. In most of the households, one person is the bread-earner, supporting 6-8 people on average. As the camps are in the outskirts of the city, the IDPs need to walk for at least 5-6 km to reach their workplaces. On average, they are given work once in four days, meaning that they have to manage the entire household in Rs. 300 for whole week. But with the help of Hashoo Foundation and other active local and INGOs, they are now food secure, provided with shelter and have a renewed hope to feel alive again. With Hashoo Foundation making the off-camp IDPs food secure, they will be able to utilize their earnings on purchase of medicine and availing other basic healthcare facilities. Many households have been sent back to their respective areas in the beginning of 2014, while the remaining shall be sent back in the months to follow. In an area where people are not familiar with a term like NGO, Hashoo Foundation is a name every household is familiar with as a result of this intervention.