Pakistan Project Report: Phase 2 Has Come to An End!

The Earthquake Victims Support Program, which, receiving financial assistance from the Japan Platform (JPF), was rolled out in Balakot in the northeastern region of Mansehra, Pakistan in May, was completed on December 10, 2006. In total we supported 1,100 families (about 6,000 people) in the first phase (May 2 to August 3) and in the second phase (September 1 to December 10, 2006) combined.
During this phase we supported various timber milling activities. This activity mainly consisted of sawing logs or wood by using a timber mill (a special machine with high-speed circular saw blades was used to cut the logs). Though cutting the trees down with a saw or ax is hard work, we were able to get a lot of boards from one log efficiently by using the saw mill. In this disaster, houses with log roofs or overhead beams proved harmful to residents, as many people were buried under logs during the earthquake; some residents where even killed.. Sawing the logs into smaller boards is a preventive measure against future disasters and will contribute to the safety of the new houses. This timber milling activity also addresses the serious and rampant deforestation problems in the disaster-effected region, because sawing is also environmentally? friendly procedure that makes use of logs more efficiently.
One year has passed since the earthquake hit the area. Currently, it is very cold as the winter season has begun in northeast Pakistan; the temperature usually drops below the sub-zero level at night. The reconstruction here is progressing little by little, but still we see many victims who must endure the cold wrapped in blankets with only a tattered tent to keep them warm. Now we are coming to a crucial stage of the reconstruction.
Habitat for Humanity Pakistan continues to provide timber milling services in the disaster-effected region since the completion of Phase-II. Now, the disaster region in Pakistan is not widely noticed by the international community, and most international organizations and NGOs are not active in this area. Though, reconstruction is currenly under way and progressing as we rebuild houses using boards produced by the mill, HFH will keep a very close watch on the Pakistan’s rehabilitation through HFH Pakistan.
Your continued and generous support would be greatly appreciated.
On Site Project Coordinator, Shintaro Yamamoto
Notes:
The sawmill service had provided over 6,000 people/1,100 families throughout the phase 1 (May 2nd to August 3rd, 2006) and phase 2 (September 1st to December 10th, 2006).
☆ Disaster Response (DR) for Earthquake in Northeastern Pakistan
☆ Other DR activities done by Habitat for Humanity Japan