Oxfam’s work in Pakistan has always included elements of emergency relief, usually in response to the effect of drought and cyclones on poor communities. However, the 2005 earthquake was an emergency on a massive scale, devastating a region covering 30,000 square miles, and killing over 70,000 people.

Despite mountainous terrain, extreme weather conditions, aftershocks and frequent landslides, Oxfam was able to respond immediately to provide shelter, and water and sanitation for many of the three million made homeless and living in established or makeshift camps.

In Muzaffarabad, alone 4,000 buckets were distributed to enable people to store their water hygienically. Over 170,000 litres of water were trucked to the district’s rural camps every day. Hundreds of emergency pit latrines, and bathing facilities were installed, and hygiene kits distributed.

In other organised camps we provided clean water in through water tanks, and gravity fed water supplies, or by using pumps. We also worked with the Public Health Department to help restore water supplies to large numbers of people.

In the six months after the earthquake, we worked in over 200 different camps and villages. Our emergency response was awarded one of Pakistan's highest national awards, the Sitar e Sesar.

Our work in the area of water and sanitation continues, as we help to repair and build facilities in mountainous areas and village schools, and provide public health training for health workers, teachers and community volunteers.