AID FOR PAKISTAN FLASH FLOODS 2010 SURVIVORS

CAMPAIGN INFO SHEET

Championing SARA is a campaign advocating the integration of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Awareness into the healthcare, medic and items aid sent to post disaster and conflict situation. It is also an independent fundraising platform by concerned individuals. The campaign pushes for items to be put together as humanitarian kits, and SRH related drugs from pharmaceutical companies such as emergency contraceptive, hormones, painkillers, and others, to cater specifically to SRH crises in emergency settings.

Our first and current project is in aid of the Pakistan Flash Floods 2010 survivors.

Help has been really slow to reach the survivors of the recent natural disaster, while 1600 died, and 20 million lives been displaced thus far. Tragically, the numbers are expected to continue climbing.

Fundraising

Championing SARA is seeking donations in kind, and is also open to monetary contributions. But we are specifically looking for individuals, companies, manufacturers, suppliers, printers, package solutions specialists, to give us items to make up the humanitarian kits we are planning to assemble. And the manuals we are going to have translated into the local language.

We are also pushing for SRH related drugs to be donated to emergency response teams as part of their medical stocks on site. So that when these crises happen, there are supplies readily available.

Advocacy

We strongly advocate the implementation of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for Reproductive Health (RH) into the healthcare and medic aid sent to disaster sites. The MISP is a set of priority activities to be implemented during the early stages of an emergency (conflict or natural disaster).

The module is designed to prevent and respond to sexual violence; prevent excess neonatal and maternal morbidity and mortality; reduce HIV transmission; and plan for comprehensive RH services.

When implemented at the onset of a crisis, the MISP saves lives and prevents illness, especially among women and girls.

Items, Kits and Services

The items that we are seeking :

*clean underwear *sanitary pads *condoms *shaving cream *toothpaste *toothbrush *latex gloves *blue plastic bags *razor blades individually wrapped and sealed *small bars of soap *strings *cotton cloth *combs *hand towels *shampoo (small) *women’s headscarf(s)

The items above are to be assembled into hygiene and clean birthing kits :

Hygiene kits for women and girls containing clean underwear, sanitary pads, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, hand towel, comb, women’s headscarf.

Hygiene kits for men containing clean underwear, razor, shaving cream, soap, comb, toothpaste, toothbrush, condoms.

Birthing kits are to be distributed to visibly pregnant women, trained birth attendants and midwives. These birth kits would contain a small bar of soap, a pair of latex gloves, 2 plastic sheets, 3 pieces of strings each 12 inches long, 1 clean single razor blade (wrapped and sealed), 2 pieces of half-metre cotton cloths as receiving blankets, and also a printed birthing manual.

We are also seeking services :

*print birth manuals (black and white) *print stickers to be put onto the kits (black and white) *packaging solutions for the kits we are planning to assemble (includes production of boxes too) *volunteers to help assemble the kits

Why these items?

Championing SARA took up this cause because these are issues that are often ignored in such emergency settings. While we are not denying the importance of prioritizing food, medicine and blankets distribution, we are simply stating a fact that there is an urgent need for SRH provisions too.

Gender based violence is strongly associated in situations of forced population movements and settings that are outside the norm. There have been countless documented cases where women and girls are often being bullied and forced into performing sexual acts/favours in exchange for help/ration. Rape cases also run high in chaos and instability. Furthermore, there are higher maternal and infant deaths, which are often, preventable.

Condoms are also an important factor that might be puzzling to many. This is the rationale - that despite and sometimes because of such conditions, sexual aggressions are much more prevalent and the simple fact that men and women do remain sexually active. Therefore, condoms should be readily available at camp sites to decrease the risk of HIV and STDs transmissions, as well as unwanted pregnancies.

Currently in Pakistan 20 million lives have been affected by the flash floods. Approximately 800,000 women are pregnant. 200,000 women will give birth in the next 3 months, of which 30,000 will experience a life-threatening complication. 15 to 17 million are women and children.

Priority interventions would include

*Providing emergency obstetric care (including 24/7 referral system) and birth kits *Prevention of sexual violence and providing care for rape survivors (including emergency contraception and PEP to prevent HIV) *Preventing HIV and STIs through condoms, safe blood transfusion and universal precautions

These are the issues that the Minimum Initial Service (MISP) for Reproductive Health (RH) addresses, with accompanying hygiene and especially birthing kits that are essential for the execution of the module.

Objective and Aim

We aim to raise enough funds, services and items to assemble 10 thousand birthing kits, 5 thousand hygiene kits for men, and 5 thousand hygiene kits for women. We are also planning to ask for pharmaceutical companies to get involved and contribute SRH related drugs and supplies.

With all executing NGOs and Agencies that we speak to and liaise with, we strongly advocate the implementation of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for Reproductive Health (RH) in crisis situations.

Agencies

Championing SARA has approached various agencies such as MERCY, International Red Cross Committee, Malaysian Red Crescent as well as BAKTI. While the first three agencies will be advocated to establish the MISP module within the deliverance of their healthcare and medic aid services on site, BAKTI is aimed to be a procurement channel to the other agencies in Pakistan that are currently being contacted, such as Karachi Relief, USAID, Save the Children Pakistan, as well as a few other grassroots NGOs that would have better leverage with the local communities.

Nothing yet has been confirmed as all are busy trying to prepare plan of action for Pakistan. We are positive that in the coming weeks this will be confirmed, because there is a highly urgent need for these kits within the next 3 months.

For more information on the campaign, please visit http://championingsara.wordpress.com/

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