A tiny island of fishermen in Sindh is light years ahead of the rest of Pakistan with Alternate Energy - Wind Turbines

Transporting wind turbines from Karachi to Kharo Chhan Island (170 km)

The government may lack the cash to harness hydro, wind and solar resources on a large scale in the lectricity starved country but charities are lighting the way forward by putting wind power to work in remote villages. ‘We've been given two bulbs a house, it's a blessing for all of us,’ said 42-year-old fisherman Mohammad Arif on the subtropical island of Kharochhan, a land of creeks and mangroves in the cyclone belt of the Arabian Sea, AFP reported. Lying 150 kilometers due south of the country’s financial capital Karachi, Kharochhan is an island of thatched homes where fishermen scrape by on 75 dollars a month and never dreamed of having electricity.

Transporting turbines to Island by boat

Then a local charity pitched up and installed five wind turbines. Now a fifth of homes – 100 out of around 500 – have been hooked up to the system. ‘Each of us saves up to 1,500 rupees that we would have spent on kerosene. I couldn't afford to educate my children, but now I'll put two of my four daughters in school,’ Arif said. ‘We're poor with meager resources. Our boys usually become fishermen and our girls illiterate housewives. This money could help us improve our children's future,’ he added. The country faces a catastrophic energy crisis, able only to produce 80 percent of the electricity that it needs, suffocating industry and making life tough in extreme winter and summer weather. The shortfall has been blamed on government incapacity, corruption, short sightedness, debts, a creaking distribution system and lack of money to invest in energy sources. To help cut energy needs Pakistan last year introduced daylight saving time in the summer, but experts say the most sustainable long-term solution is to tap into abundant renewable resources. Half an hour by boat from the mainland, development on Kharochhan has been hampered by isolation, said Nadeem Jamali, secretary general of a charity helping coastal villages use strong winds to generate electricity.

 

 

Transporting Turbines to villages on island by bull cart (only transport on island)

‘Our project is to avoid environmental degradation and help provide the population with a proactive social life,’ said Jamali, of the Pakistani charity Action for Humanitarian Development, AFP reported. Before his organization erected turbines, villagers cut down mangroves for firewood to cook meals and used kerosene to light homes, damaging the environment and producing heavy smoke, causing allergies. ‘Wind energy should stop the use of kerosene and we advise people to use acacia wood for cooking because mangroves protect them from rampant cyclones,’ said Jamali, of the trees that are a buttress against waves during storms.

 

 

Installing turbines

Shah Kamal, who designs wind turbines, says the high winds that batter Pakistan's 1,050-kilometer coastline are perfect for powering turbines and cutting power shortages. The applied physics graduate said the energy crisis, which sees power cut for 10 hours a day when temperatures top 40 Celsius, forced him to design and mount a wind-turbine generator on the roof of his house in Karachi. ‘When I solved my own problems, I thought why not provide similar advantages to other people?’ he said. ‘We have given electricity to more than 100 houses in Kharochhan with five turbines. There are also four street lights,’ Kamal said. ‘I see a great future for this technology,’ he added. It has revolutionized villagers' lives, which once ended at sunset. ‘With light available at night we can now do business for longer and our women do more embroidery work to earn for the family,’ said local fisherman Shahid Ali. ‘Stray dogs don't bark at us now because they can recognize us in the light. And most satisfying of all – our lights don't go off as routine in big cities,’ said Ali.



Pakistan's Alternative Energy Development Board says small wind turbines provide electricity to a few dozen coastal villages and that one large wind farm was established in April, AFP reported. ‘Our target is to meet at least five percent of total installed capacity through renewable energy resources by 2030,’ said AEDB chief Arif Alauddin.

 

Wind Turnies Installed at Kharo Chhan village

The Pakistan Meteorological Department says the country has the potential to generate 50,000 megawatts – more than its total needs – through wind, mostly in southern Sindh province. Swat, the northwest valley ripped apart by fighting with the Taliban, also enjoys favorable wind conditions where authorities intend to invite investors once militancy is suppressed, said an official in Islamabad.

 

 

 

For further details please visit www.ahdsindh.org or email: ahd@cyber.net.pk

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Floods 2010 - stitching wounds

Location   : District Qambar Shahdadkot (Pakistan)

Author       : Qadafi Kakaypoto (M&E Officer)



Aijaz Ahmed sewing at his shop where other general items are also visible.



Life was not same for Aijaz Ahmed as he lived since teenage. Floods 2010 water swept everything he had earned over last many years. He saw everything bereft in his front. Everything he had known since childhood. “Terrible sense of desolation broke everyone evacuating village”, he told AHD team “We were all dejected”.

Village Bahawal Jatak is one of hundreds of villages of District Qambar Shahdadkot badly hit by flood water in 2010. Hundreds of thousands were displace during flood 2010 and thousands were marooned for months without food and water.  Village Bahawal khan Jatak is 30 kilometer from district headquarter Qambar Shahdadkot. Aijaz had a tailoring shop to earn bread for his 8 family members, his mother, his wife and 6 children that include infant master Bhural.

“We lived at different repulsed camps with horrible smell of human waste at Larkana for 3 months”, he felt himself cringe with the embarrassment of memory. He told AHD team that they didn’t even had half a dried chapatti to feed our kids. They had never planned to face disaster or evacuate their village ever. It was lifetime bitter experience for his family and other villagers. He could even bring stitching machine with him to keep him busy and earn something. His days with family at camp were disgrace and embarrassing.

AHD started PEFSA-II project at Shahdadkot that included village Bahawal Jatak for intervention of livelihood support initiatives. On this project AHD with Care international was providing micro-business grant (non-returnable and without interest) to households identified as skilled and did won pre-flood small shops or enterprises. In total 2172 households were eligible to receive grants in 3 categories i.e ‘Cash for Works’ (Rs.33000 against 110 days’ work at their villages) to 1500 families, Rs.33300 ‘unconditional cash grant’ for most vulnerable 172 housholds, and Rs.28000 to 500 families for recover their ‘microbusiness/enterprises and agriculture’, all non-returnable grants.

“Now after 1 year of depression and desolate, I have received support from AHD to purchase machines and repair my shop” tell Aijaz. He showed AHD team small mud shelter shop to AHD while talking to team. “I purchased 2 machines, tailoring toolkit, iron, tables, and shelf to place dresses and unstitched clothes. People know I am good tailor and they have started to come to me for dress making.” He talks with smile on his face “I make 3 to 4 dresses per day and charge Rs. 250 for each dress. I take Rs.1000 mostly home in evening. I also have general store items in my shop. I also earn from them ”

After support of AHD (Action for Humanitarian Development) through micro finance business first of all he constructed his ruined shop then he started his business.

 AHD (Action for Humanitarian Development) solved his problem through Micro Business grant, before intervention AHD (Action for Humanitarian Development) did assessment of villages they informed him different types of grant but they select him for micro business because he meet on MB grant criteria due that he was taller master then they granted him about 28000 rupees, through tamer bank, unavailability of shop was his major constraints. Now he get benefit from his shop his livelihood is very better now he is feeling too much better

Mr. Aijaz Ahmed is very hard worker he has given chance to make his life better and I hope that he would continue as type of efforts and would successes in his life.



For further details please visit www.ahdsindh.org or email: ahd@cyber.net.pk

 

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Floods 2010 - Returning from ashes to glory

Location: Village Bhawal Jatak, UC Dost Ali, Sindh (Pakistan)

Author : Qadafi Kakaypoto (M & E Officer – AHD)



Shop of Ahmed Nawaz (in blue dress) with new stock to sell



Surrounded with lush green crops of wheat, onions, vegetables, and destroyed houses from flood 2010 water village Bahawal Jatak is about 30 kilo meters from district headquarter Qambar Shahdadkot in Sindh, Pakistan. Bahawal Jatak is small typical village with small thatched houses with a dusty pathway leading to village. Bahawal Jatak is one 56 major villages at UC Dost Ali that were badly hit by flood water during 2010. Majority of the population of village Bahawal Jatak depends on agriculture with exception to some small shops and labours. Livestock is also a factor of their livelihood earnings. Village Bahawal Jatak was completely destroyed with Flood water.

“It was definitely doomsday, six to eight feet water was everywhere around”, Ahmed Nawaz was telling AHD team. “We had no idea flood water will be in that much quantity. We had never seen it before, it was beyond our imagination”, It seemed Ahmed Nawaz Still do not believe in what he saw during flood. He told us no villager could evacuate their belongings, food item, valuables during village evacuation. “Only living objects could escape flood water”.

“I saw my shop collapsing in my front. That was all I had earned during my whole life for my family” Ahmed Nawaz’s shared the memories emotionally as if it had just happened “I had two choice getaway with family safely or die there, and I had to choose my family”. When Ahmed Nawaz came back to his home that time his home and earning resources totally destroyed. He was unable to earn at village and it was very difficult for him to survive in village. He decided to live and earn at nearby district town Larkana. He worked as labour at Larkana for about one year. “I had no other skills except to word as labour on construct of houses. Still if was on-off earning”.

 

During those crisis, AHD started PEFSA-II project for intervention in livelihood grant for 2172 HH to bring back families to their early status. Ahmed Nawaz was one of 250 families that were supported to restart their small businesses at village level. “I received 28000 rupees to purchase shop items and repair my shop” he shared with smile on his face. “Now my children take food as much as they need to feed them and I can also meet their medical needs as well”. Ahmed Nawaz repaired his broken shop and reopened his shop, his business also proved fruitful for other villagers because villagers were purchasing food and other commodities item from other villagers. They were too much away from this villages,  Ahmed Nawaz’s life is changed now he is very happy and planning to repair his house he says that  if  AHD (Action for Humanitarian Development) were not intervene might be ahmed Nawaz remain in difficult condition till to date.

 

Under the objectives of this project, AHD supported 2172 families at UC Dost Ali and UC Jamali of District Qambar Shahdadkot, Sindh (Pakistan). On this project Rs. 69,219,000 (equivalent to USD. 814,340.00) among target beneficiaries. Ahmed Nawaz is from one among most vulnerable families that were recovered from ashes.

 

For further details please visit www.ahdsindh.org or email: ahd@cyber.net.pk

 

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Action for Humanitarian Development Stories from Field: AHD installing 43 ARUs with BHP Billiton

Action for Humanitarian Development Stories from Field: AHD installing 43 ARUs with BHP Billiton: ARU construction in process As a part of community development program, BHP Billiton had facilitated (technically and financially) ...

AHD Tent City provides releif support to 457 families tent city at Bhan, Jamshoro

Due to flood water from breached Tori Dyke and rain water from Kheerthar mountain rivers, Manchhar Lake over flowed on 17/9/2010 inundating 3 UC of Taluka Sehwan Completely i.e UC Dal, Boobak, Channa whereas some villages of UC Talti were also inundated. Approximately 80000 population was displaced to Hyderabad, Dadu, Jamshoro, Bhan Sehwan, and Jhangara town of Sehwan. Due to floods 22 km of National Highway remained under flood water for 1 month.

 

Water tanker and volunteers preparing the camp site

IDPs at Bhan Saeed were living in very poor condition at spontaneous settlements and govt. schools with no basic facilities and food shortage. Being unorganized and scattered in spontaneous settlements, they were unable to maintain their health, hygiene, and livings.



IDP children at Bhan camp school with volunteer teachers

Most of them had no shelters. It was believed that their condition in coming days shall worsen as many communal diseases like gastro, Acute Water Diarrhea, skin infection, and acute respiratory infections might spread and cause deaths majorly in children, women and elderly persons. Since the onset of flood update, more than 1000000 populations had been reported affected with these diseases only in Sindh. Number was expected to rise with the passage of time and nature rampage continues. Proportion of acute diarrhea was high and continues to be the second cause of morbidity in flood affected areas.

 

Volunteers giving nutrition suppliment to children

It was observed that government along with many INGOs and local NGOS was providing relief items to IDPS like food items, NFIs, and medical camp facilities at some places but their condition at camps was not improving and getting very bed with passage of each movement. NO ORGANIZED CAMPS WERE OBSERVED AT ANY PART OF FLOOD AFFECTED AREAS AROUND BHAN SAEEDABAD, REGARDLESS OF GOVERNMENT AND NGOS SPENDINGS IN BILLIONS TILL AHD DECIDED TO SET TENT CITY FOR IDPs IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PAKISTAN INGO.

 

Water tanker delivering water at camp

AHD and ADP togather managed the tent city as humanitarian aid response to floods 2010. At tent city, IDP were provided food, water, education, health, and nutrition support for 2 and half month till water receeded from their villages and they were able to return to their home.



 

A cleaning team of Muncipal administration regularly cleaned the camp area to ensure hygiene conditions at camp area. AHD also provided doctors, support medical staff and medicines to ensure their health. 3,100 men, women, and children lived in tent city.

 



Socio-Psycho activity with children in evening at camp



During disasters, children are observed as most affectee due to their early age and remain under psychological pressure due to displacement and bad experience. To help them remain healthy mind and active, AHD organized daily evening recreational activities with children that included sports and story telling. Singing and dancing were also very effective and important part of these activities. Children at camp were also provided books, colors, pencils, bags and learning facility at camp during morning.

 



Evening view of Bhan Tent City



Besides tent city at Bhan, Jamshoro AHD also provided releif to IDPs by establishing 100 Tent Villages at Thatta, and District Dadu with support from IOM to more than 20000 population.

 

For further details please visit www.ahdsindh.org or email: ahd@cyber.net.pk

 

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3500 familes get shelter at Johi, District Dadu

Inundated Govt. Primary School at Johi under 12 feet flood water

Johi of District Dadu Sindh, Pakistan stands tall among survivors of floods 2010 by saving headquarter town Johi and adjacent villages inside flood protection ring. Still 8 to 10 feet water showed no mercy to villages it could get to. 40000 houses were either completely destroyed or badly damaged that could not be repairs. Large population still lives there in tents and under open sky.

Understanding the severity of the floods, and its impact on community, Care International in Pakistan decided to provide shelter kits to most vulnerable groups on sphere standards

by defining selection criteria of beneficiaries. Under project scope about 250 villages were mapped using UC mapping exercise and their GPS coordinates were recorded whereas 210 villages were finally selected for interventions based on their vulnerability.



A widow with her children at a village without home

UC Bahawalpur was the largest UC with 1026 beneficiaries whereas UC Pat Gul Mohd was the smallest one with only 126 HH beneficiaries. UC Kamal Khan, Drig Bala, and Chhini had above 5 hundred beneficiaries at 501 HH, 671 HH, and 656 HH respectively.UC Sawro has scattered population with 298 beneficiaries registered. 186 HH were registered in riverine area of Taluka Dadu at UC Siyal.

 Women are 51% beneficiary on the project over 49% men beneficiaries. This percentage difference is due to priority to women HH over men on the project. Another reason for this difference is due to registration of widows on the project in assessment criteria.

Tractor Trollies transporting shelter kits to villages for distribution

3275 HH were assessed at fully damaged at target UCs whereas 225 HH had received partial damaged (but housed not in living condition).In assessment, 652 females were recorded pregnant whereas 992 women’s information was received from beneficiaries as lactating women. 3025 HH head were men and 475 HH were female on the project as final beneficiary. 537 HH had windows in their family with 475 HH had women as HH head. 200 HH had disabled persons in their family. 1134 HH Head were old age HH Head.

Shelter was desgined as cost effective immediate solution to needs of villagers during early recovery phase. Shelter kits also included NFIs to support their livings and recovery. This shelter is sufficient to provide them save living for upto one year till they get any other releif support or recover from floods affects.  

AHD technical team helping villagers to construct shelter

Accessibility roads to majority of villages were badly damaged with flood water and were not easy to reach with shelter kits. Tractor-Trollies were only available transport to reach those villages. Harsh weather was one of the major hindrance in distribuiton of large number of shelter kits that was performed in 15 days in 54 C^o. To perform the task 100 field staff along with 60 labors at warehouse were hired.



NFI kits ready for distribution among beneficiares

AHD team of engineers trained in construction of shelter helped and trained beneficiary to construct shelter and giving them technical support and supervision. These shelters were also given weather conditions consideration in design along with DRR practices adoptation. With these inteventions AHD succeeded in helping 3500 families recover from floods affected.

community receives Water Filtration Plants with 100% Arsenic Removal capacity at 43 villages.

ARU construction in process

As a part of community development program, BHP Billiton had facilitated (technically and financially) to provide drinking water to local communities through installing hand pumps (HP) within the D & P lease area for extracting water from shallow groundwater aquifer. They installed 190 hand pumps in approximately 85 villages.

In order to ensure supply of clean drinking water to communities, BHP Billiton initiated blanket testing (from all water sources) of water quality through hiring a consultant Ms. Halcrow (contractor). Another study was initiated to understand the underground water aquifers situation for developing long term sustainable water supply strategy. Water test results indicated that water from around 35 HP was exceeding WHO standards and hence, not fit for drinking. The main reason was “Arsenic” in the water.

Below are the key features of first water analysis report.

100% removal of Arsenic



Operational ARU at a village of Taluka Johi



o Arsenic: Arsenic values have been eliminated in product water.

o Bicarbonates, Chlorides, Sulphate, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Nitrates, Hardness, Alkalinity and Electrical Conductivity reduced.

o TDS Concentration: TDS concentration has reduced, however it is still higher than the WHO guidelines permissible limit (both in raw and product samples). High TDS values increases the hardness of water. However there are no severe health impacts of High TDS, the maximum is irritation in Gastro Intestine. This concern will be address through an on-going education& awareness campaign amongst the community .local people especially women were told to use water after using cloth strainer prior to drinking.

o Iron: Iron concentrations are high in the product water due to the Arsenic removal media which contains Iron fillings. However, it will gradually decrease with the passage of time and regular usage of plant.  According to WHO guidelines, iron concentrations between 1 to 3 mg/L can be acceptable for people consuming anaerobic well water for drinking.

o Microbial Contamination: Both raw and product water are contaminated by Microbes. This is a serious concern which may lead to diarrhoea and other diseases. However use of either Chlorine dioxide or Potassium Permanganate can easily disinfect water. It kills bacteria, viruses, and cryptosporidium. ClO2 is EPA approved as a water disinfectant and does not produce carcinogenic by products, unlike chlorine.

A villager taking water from ARU where a girl is also seen taking water home

Basic Project model is designed by BHP Billiton expert teams based on years of experience with community and their needs at Zamzama Gas field. According to This model BHP will install 43 water Filtration Units with the cooperation of Governmental Public Health & Engineering Department (PHED). To make FU properly functional on long terms it is deem necessary that community owns and manages the water FU. NGO is required to develop and implement strategy to ensure comprehensive management of FU that includes support in installation, routine maintenance mobilize local resources to ensure functionality of FU. Proposed project that three component that is social, technical, and government liaison to ensure involvement of all stakeholders at all levels of project implementation. Project period is for one year.

For further details please visit www.ahdsindh.org or email: ahd@cyber.net.pk

Action for Humanitarian Development - Developing Alternatives
0336-9186646