Habitat for Humanity Pakistan

Contact information HFH Pakistan House No. 23, Street 28, F 10/1 Islamabad Pakistan Phone: +92 512103163 E-mail: Farhan@habitat.org.pk				Habitat's Work in Pakistan Number of families served this year*: 71
Country profile

THE MYRIAD LANDSCAPES OF Pakistan reveal a country of many contrasts, from coastal beaches on the Arabian Sea in the south to snow-covered mountain ranges in the north, including K-2, the world’s second highest peak. The south Asian nation, born out of partition from its giant neighbor, India, combines bustling cities with a countryside where traditions are slow to change.

More than two thirds of Pakistan’s population lives in rural areas and are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. Despite the country’s impressive economic growth in recent times, poverty is widespread and the inflation rate is high According to the World Bank, around 35 million people in rural areas are living in poverty, representing 80 percent of Pakistan’s poor. The chronically poor, comprising an estimated one-in-ten of the population, survive on as little as 374 Pakistani rupees (about US$6) a month.

Many rural dwellers lack adequate access to basic services such as safe drinking water, primary health care, education and other social services.

The Pakistan government’s economic survey for 2005-2006 showed a backlog of more than six million housing units. To address the backlog, an additional 500,000 housing units need to be constructed annually for the next 20 years. The housing shortage is acute in cities and towns where half of the population lives in slums or irregular settlements known as “katchi abadis”. United Nations research shows that the poor meet their housing demands by buying land from the informal sector and building structures incrementally, piece by piece, as they can afford.

Houses in Pakistan typically have walls made of baked or unbaked bricks, stone, wood or bamboo, while roofs may be made of reinforced cement concrete, cement or iron sheet, wood or bamboo, among others.

Habitat for Humanity Pakistan first began operating in Karachi city, southeastern Sindh province, in 2003. It was planning to expand its programs in the province when a massive earthquake struck close to Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, in October 2005. The tragedy killed some 73,000 people and left a further 2.8 million homeless.

Habitat moved its operations to the capital Islamabad to facilitate a disaster- response program in the worst-hit town, Balakot, in the North West Frontier province. In February 2006, a transitional shelter project was started to help earthquake victims living in tents. With funds from Habitat for Humanity International and other Habitat countries, the project enabled 405 families to be housed in shelters made of corrugated steel sheets and iron pipes. As the weather improved, the materials were re-used for more permanent homes.

Habitat established Habitat Resource Centers in Balakot and in neighboring Mansehra, giving Habitat personnel the opportunity to assist more families. A Japanese funded mobile sawmill service was, and remains, popular. The free service allows families to cut and trim wood including recycling timber from damaged homes. Recycling wood reduces house costs and lighter, more carefully used wood is less likely to hurt occupants in the event of another earthquake.

In spite of the harsh mountainous terrain, Habitat volunteers, from South Korea, have helped with the earthquake rebuilding program.

Within a year, Habitat for Humanity moved forward with more a long-term program. HFH Pakistan wanted to create more permanent housing solutions in areas around Balakot, in Mansehra district, and further to the south, around Mansehra, in Abbotabad district.

The Pakistani government and UN-HABITAT are supporting Habitat as they train thousands of families on how to build earthquake-resilient homes in accordance with new government building codes. Habitat training includes programs on building techniques, training-of-local- trainers, and on the proper use of lighter-weight materials, proper linking of superstructures and foundations and other government-mandated materials. Habitat also provides certified house designs.

A Habitat design involves building a 0.9-meter high rock and wood wall with an upper section of lighter corrugated iron roof sheets, metal side sheeting and insulation. Hundreds of such houses have been built using these techniques which also rely on families to contribute their labor and to new and recycled materials, wood, stones and mud.

HFH Pakistan has been able to extend of the provision of free sawmill services and training thanks to Canadian government funding.

HABITAT HIGHLIGHTS

Under a two-year, US$900,000 project funded by Canadian International Development Agency via HFH Canada, HFH Pakistan has trained more than 200 families in designing and building earthquake-resilient homes.

As of October 2008, Habitat has enabled more than 6,000 families to rebuild and repair their houses with its free sawmill services

A Habitat partnership with the Pakistan government and UN-HABITAT has trained more than 5,500 families to build earthquake-resistant homes in Abbotabad district, North West Frontier province.

Sixteen South Korean volunteers helped earthquake-affected families to build 40 transitional shelters and 15 houses in January 2007. The volunteers also helped families to cut wooden beams using Habitat’s free sawmill services.

COUNTRY FACTS

Population: 172.8 million (July 2008 est.)

Capital: Islamabad

Area: 803,940 sq km.

Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants)

Languages: Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English, Burushaski and others 8%

Religions: Muslim 95% (Sunni 77%, Shi’a 20%), Christian, Hindu and others 3%