Hope for the Hopeless Project: Food for Deserving 500 Families During COVID-19
Peace Hope Pakistan, a URI member group in Punjab Province, is giving food to 500 widows and families in need during the COVID-19 crisis.
Project Applicant: Mr. Faisal Ilyas, Executive Director, Peace Hope Pakistan
Contact Person: Mr. Faisal Ilyas, Executive Director, Peace Hope Pakistan
Email: [email protected]
Contact number: +92 3314491840
Website: www.peacehope.org
Project location: Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan
Beneficiaries: 500 widows and deserving families
Project duration: 20th April – 20th May, 2020
Total amount requested: 3,550,000 PKR / 24,000 USD$ / 20,880 EUROS
Background
On 22 March, the third death in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was announced. The first death in Gilgit-Baltistan and Baluchistan were also announced on that day, meaning that the number of deaths increased to six. The number of cases had also increased to 784 with 138 new cases. The fatality at DHQ Hospital in Gilgit was a doctor who contracted the virus after screening pilgrims returning from Iran. On 22 March, Gilgit-Baltistan went under lockdown for an indefinite period. 13 new pilgrims from Taftan via Dera Ghazi Khan were put in quarantine at Mirpur. Also on that day, DESCON donated 10,000 hand sanitizers to hospitals in Punjab, whereas in Baluchistan 26 drivers who transported the positive COVID-19 cases to hospitals were kept in quarantine.
On 23 March, many doctors across the nation complained about the lack of proper equipment for battling the virus. A spokesman for Doctors' Union in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said, "We do not have personal protective equipment (PPE), or goggles, and even [face] masks we are buying from our own funds". Arrangements were made on the day by the Foreign Office to bring 72 Pakistanis stranded at the Doha International Airport in Doha, Qatar as it had decided to temporarily ban travelers from Pakistan and 14 other countries early in the month. The passengers were subject to strict screening upon arrival. Another flight was arranged to bring 150 citizens for the UAE stranded at Dubai and Abu Dhabi International Airport. The Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani tested positive for the virus and selfquarantined for 14 days that day.
On 24 March, Sindh and Baluchistan observed lockdown until 7 April, while Azad Kashmir went under it until 13 April respectively. Punjab also imposed lockdown on 24 March, but only until 6 April. In Sindh, the local police detained 472 people in various districts of the province the same day in violation of the lockdown, with 222 of them in Karachi alone and a total of 72 FIRs were registered on 24 March. The cases pertained to hoarding and profiteering of safety masks and hand sanitizers, large gatherings, opening shops and restaurants and travelling in passenger buses. The provincial government of Sindh allowed 640 pilgrims quarantined in Sukkur to return home after being tested negative for the virus. The Chief Minister issued directives for the relevant deputy commissioners to receive the pilgrims on their return and monitor their health conditions for the next 10 days.
On 25 March, several restrictions were imposed in the capital territory of Islamabad. These included closing of the outpatient departments of hospitals, complete bans on intra-city, inter-district and inter-province public transport as well as gatherings in public and private places. Three new recoveries were announced as well as the eighth death in the country. The number of positive cases in the nation crossed 1,000 as the tally increased to 1,057. On 26 March, 140 new cases were tested positive across Pakistan. One new death was reported in Punjab, meaning that the death toll increased to 9. The total number of cases reached 1,197. Meanwhile, the numbers of recoveries are increased by 2.
On 27 March, Pakistan reported a record number for new cases detected in a single day with 211. Punjab also overtook Sindh as the province with highest number of cases at 490 while two deaths were also reported there. The National Institute of Health distributed N95 masks across Sindh while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; screening teams were deputed at all district entry and exit points for screening of visitors of Covid-19 patients. In Gilgit-Baltistan, the local government decided that all travelers coming from the Taftan border would be tested for COVID-19. The total numbers of positive cases in the country reach 1,408 while 3 patients were discharged; making the recovered cases a total of 26 and two deaths occurred, taking the total number of deaths to 11.
On 28 March, the Foundation set up by the Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and the Alibaba Group sent a second aircraft carrying various medical supplies to Pakistan. The aircraft was received in Karachi with at least 50,000 testing kits, large number of face masks, ventilators and personal protective equipment which was combined around two tons of supplies worth Rupees 67 million. The same day, Pakistan allowed Thai Airways to resume its flight operation for Islamabad to bring back 175 Pakistanis stranded in Bangkok, Thailand.
This pandemic situation in all over the world is damaging a lot and so in Pakistan as well. We have a large numbers of people who are working as daily wagers and since 16th March, 2020, Government of Pakistan announced Partial Lock Down in Punjab, only Medical Stores, Departmental Stores, Dairy Shops and Hospitals will remain open till 8:00 pm onwards till 14th April, 2020. All offices, construction places, factories and brick kilns are closed for work. What happened to the laborers? They are sitting outside their homes, at roads and even begging for their daily bread. Although government of Pakistan announced a support program to give relief to the poor but it is not quick and feasible to reach all families.
Peace Hope Pakistan Peace is working in five major areas i.e., 1-Peace through education, culture and awareness. 2-Interfaith harmony through training workshops, seminars and dialogues among inter and intra-faith community. 3- Targeting, Youth to raise their voices, aware and sensitize them for progress. 4- Women are the integral part of our society, their rights and empowerment is the need of the hour. 5-Environment is the medium to live a happy, prosper and peaceful life, we need to make it clean and green throughout our surrounding through needful steps. We are also following the 17 SDGs set by The United Nations, the celebration of all national and international days with collaboration of NGOs & CSOs working at grass root levels in Pakistan or elsewhere in the world. PHP is the member organization with United Religions Initiative in Pakistan.
We would like to prepare Grocery Packs for the 500 poor families to help in the time of need due to pandemic situation, in Punjab, Pakistan. Punjab is the largest and the most populous province of Pakistan with an estimated population of 110,012,442 as of 2017.
The basic needs of poor families to eat in this time of medical emergency and pandemic situation to stay at home are as follows:
Total amount estimated for one family:
500 Families x 7,100 Rs = 3, 550,000 Rupees
500 Families x 48 US $ = 24,000 US
500 Families x 41 EUROS = 21,000 EUROS
Total amount needed: 3,550,000 PKR / 24,000 US Dollars / 21, 000 EUROS
Respectfully submitted by:
Faisal Ilyas
Executive Director
Peace Hope Pakistan
