Rahat Amanhuhha, 24 years old, is a widow with two children. She lost her home and all her crops in last year’s floods, which devastated her rural village in Sindh, southern Pakistan.

As part of the UK's assistance to people affected by the floods, Rahat has received a voucher which enables her to claim seeds and fertilizer so she can grow food for her family. She explains how it works:

“I’m here today to get seeds and fertilizers from the shop. My house and belongings all vanished in the flood. We went to stay in Jhatpat then came back to a camp in Thull where we lived for three months, before going back to our village. When we left our home we had a good crop growing; when we came back there was nothing left, only water.”

Two million acres of crops were destroyed in last year’s floods in Pakistan. The UK has helped approximately 895,000 people get back on their feet and off of dependency on food aid by providing seeds, fertilisers, and tools. This allows them to grow their own food for their families to eat, or to sell some to earn a small amount of money and try to return to normal life.

In Sindh poor people affected by the floods are receiving up to four bags of fertilizer and 30kg of rice seeds, thanks to help from UK aid. They are given a voucher which they can redeem at any of their choice of approved seed shops.

Rahat continues: “I had no hope because when we came back to my village I had no home left and no crops. With this voucher I’ll get rice seeds, phosphate, urea, and 8,000 rupees (approx £60GBP) in cash to buy pesticides and other things.

“The seeds and fertilizers are enough for two acres of crops, so this will make a big difference to us. It means we'll be able grow more and have some crops to sell. It will help me feed my family and get medicine for the children. I’m happy and thankful for this help from the UK.

The UK is supporting this scheme in conjunction with USAID, Cordaid, Caritas Germany and the Canadian Catholic Organisation for Development and Peace. The implementing partner in Pakistan is the NGO Catholic Relief Services.

To find out more about how the UK is helping in Pakistan, please visit: www.dfid.gov.uk/Media-Room/Features/2011/Pakistan-floods-...

Image credit: Vicki Francis/Department for International Development

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