Qatar Charity (QC), in partnership with UNICEF, has embarked on the implementation of a new water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) project for the Afghan refugees and the host community in Pakistan. The project, which is being implemented in the six districts of Balochistan, is expected to benefit 75,000 in 38 targeted refugee villages and the host communities.

The project aims to enable the refugees and host communities to have access to safe drinking water and appropriate sanitation services, in addition to encouraging safe hygiene practices to keep their environments clean.

Health education campaigns focus on teaching refugees and families how to wash their hands, spreading the necessary awareness among them, celebrating international days of water and toilets, and training on how to use safe water, in cooperation with local authorities.

After the project’s completion, the target population is expected to have access to safe drinking water and appropriate sanitation services with improved hygiene behavior.

The beneficiary of the project expressed that the project has had a positive impact on their lives. “Majority of our children used to walk barefooted and didn’t care about hygiene, but after Qatar Charity’s Hygiene Promotion sessions, children take care of their hygiene and wear shoes,” said Mr. Abdullah Jan, a beneficiary.

“I used not to wash my hands, but after Qatar Charity’s team visited and informed me about the importance of hand washing, I began to wash my hands with soap regularly,” said Ms. Bano Bibi, another beneficiary.

The initiative was greatly welcomed locally. Mr. Syed Sajid Hussain, District Education Officer, Loralai district, said, “Due to Qatar Charity interventions in schools, the students know the importance of using latrines and hand washing with soap, especially I am impressed with the children’s awareness regarding 7 steps of hand washing”.

At the beginning of this year, Qatar Charity, in partnership with UNICEF, implemented a WASH project in the Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province. This project enabled the target groups to enjoy their rights to better health by improving sanitation and hygiene services and contributed to protecting them from water-borne diseases.

Qatar Charity, in partnership with UNICEF, implemented a project in Pakistan under the name ‘improved health, nutrition and well-being of poor and vulnerable people in the Jhang district of Punjab, as well as, in the Quetta and Naseerabad districts of Balochistan. The project benefited nearly one million people in three districts of Pakistan.

Source: Qatar Charity