A Life Changing Experience (Part 2)

As we neared our destination, both trucks were instructed by the supervisor to stop at a particular location. From the following conversation, we understood that this was a safety measure to prevent the trucks from being looted or any other trouble of that sort. We waited for some time and there approached a Hi-roof full of FIF volunteers and security personnel. They escorted us to the camp.

We reached the camp at around 8am. I was half expecting that, on seeing the truck of goods arrive, the people would go crazy and pounce the truck, as is so often shown happening on TV. But as we entered, what did approached frantically were little curious kids staring intently at the sudden bustle of activity. It was as peaceful as it could be. No drama!

Later, we learnt from the locals that the worst thing that you can do is to start distributing goods on the roads. The reason for this is that there are many people (even whole families) posing as flood victims to cash in on the situation. These are the ones which are seen sitting prominently on the road and begging every passing vehicle for help. One has to be diligent in reaching out to the real victims so as to make sure that their efforts  pay off.

Coming back, the camp was like a little community. It was well organized despite the limited supply. The supply of water was ample - large water containers had been arranged which were filled with clean water delivered from Thatta. Furthermore, with our truck was delivered a special container which was to be put together into a mini water filtering plant. 

Some tents were visible among the crude shelters and perimeters which people had set up as their homes. Livestock were visible which the families had brought along with them as their vital assets. A lady was there sitting and cooking peacefully on a stove. We were told that those families which had brought along their  stoves with them., they were directly given rations. This made it very convenient as resources such as flour, rice, etc could be utilized in this manner. The other families without stoves were given cooked food which was ordered three times a day.

Lastly, an ambulance was on duty to transport the IDPs to and from the place where medical help was available.

Being volunteers, one of the very first duties assigned to us was to set up a registration desk which was to register new arrivals. We were to register them after a strict inspection of their N.I.Cs. The purpose of this  was to make sure that the people were indeed from the flood affected areas and not locals posing as flood victims. Once this was done, two people were put in charge of handling the registration. 

We were then given the task of putting up tents for the current IDPs which were currently living under crude shelters. An expert was there to guide as to how the camps were to be put up. After having a long and thorough discussion with him, we started our work. The locals were more than happy to assist us in whatever way was possible. Of special mention were the childrens who were so very enthusiastic to work that we repeatedly had to ask them to move away for the sake of their safety. Still, they kept coming back offering to help in whatever way they can. I remember a young boy bringing the heavy rods to us. The rods had became very hot under the scorching sun and he had to wrap it around  in the "paincha" of the kurta that he was wearing. I was so touched by this that I left what I was doing and had him hand over the rods to me.

We put in around twelve camps that day. Eleven of them were for the families and one was made temporarily. This special camp was to provide shelter to a dead body that was to arrive of a drowned relative of a family in the camp.
Once the body arrived, the relatives were left alone in the camp to mourn in peace. But as usual, the media was there after some time (good juicy drama, right? :@)

Apart from this all, there is one thing that should be mentioned at all cost. It is the extremely cruel weather  there- scorching heat with little or no wind.

It was the kind of scenario that was shown in Prison Break for the Panama heat where, according to Wikipedia, "The temperature seldom exceeds 32 °C (89.6 °F) for more than a short time." (LOL, and that is  what they call unbearable heat!!)

We, being from Karachi, had the term "hot day" redefined on that afternoon. We were sitting under the shade and we were still perspiring non-stop. We went to the store room for some respite where there were 3 fans in total (Alhumdulillah). There, we found all the free volunteers and personnel sitting in a hurdle in front of the fans. We joined them and sat wondering that here were with some respite, thanks to the fans.
But what about those people who were outside in the sun without this luxury? 

Yes! the fan was truly a luxury at that moment. 

We realized that day that how lucky we were to be living under the moderate weather of Karachi.

At around 2.00 pm, being sleep deprived and extremely dehydrated, our condition was such that I feared that we may collapse any moment.
The person in charge on seeing our condition offered that "we’ll put up the tents at night, this heat is too much to work. I can see the condition of you people , you should all take a break"

But then there were the families standing under the same sun intently waiting for us to provide them shelter. So it was from them that we gather our strengths and went back to finish our designated work.

We got done around 3.30 pm. We had taught the locals how to put up the tent and it was good to leave after seeing them put up a tent on their own.

After cooling ourselves off with water and the fans, we bid farewell to the people present there.
We got on a Hi-ace public transport to get back to Karachi. And hence ended a tough, but a remarkably worthwhile and insightful journey.