Frequently asked questions
20 May 2009
Frequently asked questions
- Is Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) well established in Pakistan?
We have been working in Pakistan since 1992. We have responded to previous emergencies including the 2005 earthquake as well as implementing development projects including the provision of healthcare, education and livelihood support in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Balochistan and Islamabad.
- Does IRW have an office in NWFP?
We have set up an office in Mardan where many of those displaced by the fighting in Swat have fled to. From here we will be able to coordinate our work in Mardan and Swabi.
- Has IRW worked in NWFP before?
In September 2008 IRW established the Jelozai camp in Peshawar, in North West Frontier Province. Our work here included the provision of food, shelter, clean water and hygiene kits. We also constructed sanitation facilities and kitchens, and our site clinic provided primary health care as well as treatment to malnourished children.
- I have heard that NWFP is very dangerous and few aid agencies are working there. Is IRW able to deliver aid to those that need it?
NWFP is currently very volatile and the situation on the ground is changing every day. However the situation in the areas where IRW is working is currently calm, allowing us to carry on with our work. We have experienced aid workers on the ground who have knowledge of working in this region. They understand the needs of the community and are able to build good relations with them.
- What does IRW think is the long-term solution to this crisis?
At the moment we are focused on ensuring that those who have been displaced are able to survive this initial difficult period. In the long-term, people will need support to rebuild what they have lost. Many villages have been completely destroyed; houses, schools and clinics will all need to be rebuilt. However, this will only be possible once there is peace in the area.
- Does IRW work with the government to deliver its aid?
IRW is an independent, non-political humanitarian organisation and we do not deliver aid through the government of Pakistan, or indeed any other government. However IRW is a legally established non-governmental organisation, has full authority to work in Pakistan and fulfils the requirements of the government of Pakistan and the authorities in all the countries we work in.
- I have heard that there are militant group distributing aid in NWFP. Does IR work with any armed/militant groups to deliver its aid?
No. Islamic Relief Worldwide is a purely humanitarian organisation and does not work with any armed or militant group. Our focus is only on providing humanitarian aid and assistance to those who need it.
- Is IRW working with other agencies to deliver its aid?
IRW is currently working closely with the UN and its various agencies such as UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO in order to deliver the most appropriate aid to those who need it most. These partnerships are important to ensure that there is no duplication of resources and that aid is used in the most effective way possible.
- How will my money be used to help those affected by the crisis in NWFP?
IRW will be working in two Union Councils in Mardan and two Union Councils in Swabi, where most of the displaced people have settled. The Union Councils in Mardan are close to the conflict zone and have therefore absorbed vast numbers of displaced people.
Our work will focus specifically on the needs of children. Around 80 per cent of those who have been displaced are children. They need healthcare, clean water, food and psychosocial support to help them deal with the trauma they have suffered.
IR will provide shelter, clean water, and emergency aid such as food, blankets, clothing, kitchen sets, and hygiene kits.
We are establishing 32 ‘mercy centres’ that will provide people with medical care, food, trauma counselling and child-friendly spaces. From these centres we will also reunite families who have become separated in the chaos.
- What is IRW’s long term plan to help those affected by this crisis?
Once the emergency phase is over, IRW will help people to return home and rebuild what has been destroyed. We will focus on creating child-friendly infrastructure such as schools and health clinics.
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