Embassy of the United States

press releases

A rental pick-up truck piled high with household and shelter kits for 10 families prepares to depart Mehra Relief Camp in Battagram District for Gudlai, a village 10 km away. Photo credit: Kaukab Jhumra Smith/USAID

Earthquake Victims Return From Relief Camps To Villages Assisted By USAID

Islamabad - More than 4,000 of the over 16,000 residents of the Mehra Relief Camp have returned home to their villages since March 10. USAID, in partnership with Save the Children, has facilitated these journeys by rebuilding infrastructure in mountain communities and by providing shelter and household kits worth over $200 to equip villagers for life at home.

USAID-funded programs began the work of rebuilding villages by involving villagers in the process. Cash-for-work programs at the camp rebuilt mountain paths back to the villages and taught women vocational skills like sewing and stove-building that they can use in their post-earthquake lives. The cash-for-work also helped residents earn income for household needs. A community barn at the camp helped villagers maintain their livestock until their return home. Now, USAID is helping to establish schools in camp residents’ home villages so their children can continue their education.

"It was too cold to stay up in the mountains before," said Bakhmareen, a resident of Gudlai village. "Now it’s warmer, so we can put up a tent while we try to restart our lives." Standing in front of a van loaded with his USAID-supplied shelter and household kits, Bakhmareen said, "These tools and blankets will be very useful."

Bakhmareen’s household kit, like the others distributed, includes kitchenware, a stove, a lantern, shoes, and cloth. Each shelter kit includes a pick axe, a spade, a hammer, a handsaw and plastic sheets to build a transitional shelter. The kits supplement the one month’s food supply provided by the Pakistani military, which includes flour, lentils, oil, and rice. The Pakistani military is also providing a blanket for each family member, and local government is arranging free road trips to the villages.

The assistance provided will enable people to return to their villages with needed resources to help them reestablish their homes and livelihoods before next winter.

The United States, through USAID, is providing more than $1.5 billion in development assistance to Pakistan over the next five years to improve education, health, governance and economic growth. In addition, the United States has pledged a total of $510 million in earthquake relief and reconstruction efforts to assist the people of Pakistan and to support Pakistani government relief and reconstruction efforts.