Two University of Glasgow-led projects to help victims of the flooding and post-disaster events in Pakistan have secured more than £112,000 of funding from the Scottish Government.

The money will be used to build emergency homes for rural communities and to aid disaster management and rehabilitation of women and children in the north of the country. 

The two projects will be jointly conducted by the Heritage Foundation, an NGO registered in Pakistan, and the University of Glasgow. The lead partners are Dr Peter and Dr Azra Meadows, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, and Yasmeen Lari CEO of Heritage Foundation who is a chartered architect.

The projects focus on humanitarian aid to rural communities in the most northerly province of Pakistan, North West Frontier Province, now Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.

The funding has been obtained from the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund for South Asia and its Humanitarian Assistance Programme for Pakistan.

Beginning in autumn 2010, the first project will last for six months and will build emergency homes for families displaced by the floods. The emergency homes will be specially designed low-cost units built with sustainable, local materials (bamboo, stone, lime-mud) on a guided self help basis, and will last until permanent homes are built.

The second project will last for three years and will provide disaster management and rehabilitation guidance for rural communities. This program will educate women and children about hazard preparedness and post-disaster actions.

It will also provide advice to men, and will guide families in the development of livelihood programmes.

Dr Azra Meadows said: "The Scottish Government's initiatives in funding international development projects in South Asia indicates the vital importance of poverty alleviation and humanitarian assistance – especially for women and children. 

“The University of Glasgow's success in obtaining two Scottish Government grants for post disaster work in Pakistan adds to the University's internationalisation record and to its long-term partnerships with HE institutes and NGOs in Pakistan, including Heritage Foundation."

Dr Peter Meadows said: "I am delighted with the Scottish Government's commitment to funding humanitarian aid to developing countries in South Asia, and in particular to Pakistan following the catastrophic floods there. This is extremely important in view of the huge scale of the flood disaster and the current geopolitical scene in the area."

Yasmeen Lari said: "We are delighted to receive news of the two Scottish Government grants to the University of Glasgow and Heritage Foundation for projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Both grants will provide assistance to post disaster communities that will enable them to restart their lives.

“The collaboration with Azra Meadows and Peter Meadows in our work in the earthquake area over the last three years has been extremely valuable. The new funding for emergency shelters after the recent terrible floods is wonderful news.

“I am confident that the two newly funded projects will further strengthen the working partnership between the University of Glasgow and Heritage Foundation, and will allow us to rapidly expand our joint work on strategies for early recovery and sustainable development of post-disaster and post-conflict communities.”

The UK has committed large-scale funding to Pakistan through the Department for International Development and the Disasters Emergency Committee following the floods that have affected 20 million people.

Anyone wishing to contribute to disaster relief funds can do so through the Disasters Emergency Committee’s website at http://www.dec.org.uk/donate_now/

For more information contact Stuart Forsyth in the University of Glasgow Media Relations Office on 0141 330 4831 or email s.forsyth@admin.gla.ac.uk

First published: 15 September 2010

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