Floods in Pakistan: Our aid is working

© Bottelli(23.08.2010) In ARD's Anne Will programme on Sunday, Welthungerhilfe's Chairperson, Bärbel Dieckmann, stressed that the humanitarian aid is producing results. "We are hearing on a daily basis how infinitely grateful people are for the aid that we and our partners are jointly providing in the flood-hit areas", says Dieckmann. So far, more than 100,000 people in five districts have received food, tarpaulins, tents, blankets and sanitary articles such as soap. All the measures are being carried out in close cooperation with our longstanding European partners, Concern and Cesvi, as well as with local Pakistani organisations.

The aid is to be extended over the coming days to another 250,000 people who also live in the Sindh and Punjab districts, where it is still raining heavily and the water levels are continuing to rise dramatically. Here it is above all plastic tarpaulins that are being distributed so that people can protect themselves from the rain.

The willingness of people in Germany to donate has increased markedly over recent days. "We are pleased that the media have reported in such detail on the situation in the flood areas and on the desperate situation that people find themselves in. This has resulted in a great upsurge of willingness to help amongst people in our country" says Dieckmann. Welthungerhilfe welcomes the extensive international pledges of aid made over the last few days, but continues to point out that so far only a small proportion of the six million Pakistanis who urgently need immediate aid have received food.

Welthungerhilfe therefore still urgently needs donations in order to assist those affected. "People in need are people in need – irrespective of the system they live under. German citizens can be sure that every single euro will get through to those in need", Dieckmann stresses. Bärbel Dieckmann is travelling to Pakistan in order to see for herself the scale of the disaster and to talk to the victims, above all the women, about their plight.