Preparing Vulnerable Communities for a Sustainable Livelihood During the Pandemic – IRM’s Response & Campaigns to Combat the COVID-19 in Pakistan

 

By Shayyan Latif

This pandemic has been a major social disruption that completely changed how the world and Pakistan has lived in the past year and a half. In its wake, services of every sector have jammed significantly including the development sector. The organizations have changed the dynamics of their operations and how they operate in their daily settings. Many sectors including the Government and Development sector are trying their level best to facilitate the most vulnerable/underprivileged communities in order to provide them a better livelihood. Government of Pakistan and many development sectors started the rehabilitation programmes ranging from awareness building sessions to ration and cash distribution.

Institute of Rural Management (IRM) also offered several rehabilitation programmes and collaborated with its provincial and federal partners to launch and strengthen the existing awareness campaigns and preventive measures to help contain the spread of the highly contagious COVID-19 disease across Pakistan.

From its multiple platforms of ongoing interventions in Punjab and Sindh, COVID-19 awareness campaigns were conducted and information was provided through IEC material i.e., pamphlets and public loudspeaker alerts. The dissemination of information was done in local language for better understanding of the people and through live demonstrations in different target localities by IRM resource pool/trainers/volunteers who have in-depth understanding of the diverse, cultural, lingual, ethnic and economic needs of all regions in Pakistan.

“More than 9300 beneficiaries including men and women receive COVID awareness sessions in Punjab including Lahore and six districts (Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan) of South Punjab. Similarly, in four districts of Sindh i.e., Tando Allah Yar, Matiari, Sujawal and Tando Muhammad Khan, more than 2400 community members were beneficiaries of such sessions. Among these numbers, 68% women and 32% men were the target beneficiaries”

In addition to this, marginalized and poverty-stricken community members such as women-headed households and the currently unemployed laborers/workers and their families have received ration and cash packages. Most vulnerable community members residing in semi-urban areas of Lahore, rural areas of South Punjab and rural settlements in areas of Kotri, Sindh were the target beneficiaries. These packages were dispersed at key locations in IRMs’ target districts through IRM mobilization teams.

“With generous support from manifold donors, around 9.5 million worth of care packages (2.2 million ration & 7.3 million cash) were expended. The care packages included cash amount and daily consumable commodities such as cooking oil, lentils, rice, wheat flour, tea, dry milk, sugar, hand sanitizers, soaps and protective masks and other essential survival items”

Now that the fourth wave is upon us and the new variant is spreading rapidly among masses, we need to be extra cautious in order to contain the virus and support those who entail it the most. Everyone’s role is vital in continue helping communities who grieved considerably. IRM will continue to play its part with continuation of COVID awareness sessions, distribution of ration and cash packages. However, assistance from multiple donors would be essential for persistence of such activities.