When the 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit northern parts of Pakistan in 2005, the Mansehra and Muzaffarabad districts suffered the worst damage in terms of loss of human life, livelihoods and infrastructure.

An estimated 80,000 people died in the rubble, while countless others went missing. More than half a million people were uprooted, left shelter-less, disabled, traumatized, orphaned or widowed in an area notorious for poverty even before the disaster. Many of the victims were from already marginalized groups, living in comparatively inaccessible mountain areas with lower levels of income and available essential services.

The majority of people displaced by the disaster began returning home in April 2007, yet many still faced considerable difficulties. Apart from the lack of basic amenities in their home communities, many could not access government compensation packages due to the loss of important legal documents during the disaster.

Today, with the help of funding from CAFOD, Caritas Italy and Caritas Germany, ICMC is working with the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) and the Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) to strengthen the capacity of local communities to be sensitive and responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable among them, with a special emphasis on promoting gender equality.

Through this work, men and women have been encouraged to actively participate in the development of their communities, overcoming their sufferings and resolving their own problems. One of the project’s many accomplishments lies in the identification of community volunteers/activists and community organizers, who have been instrumental in disseminating the message to the communities, including through various training and awareness raising sessions.

These activities have facilitated remarkable changes for extremely vulnerable individuals with local communities. Individuals, especially women, are now aware of their rights and have stepped forward to play an active role, not only in the protection of their own rights, but also in that of their fellow villagers and community members.

Similarly, the development of community structures or community organizers in the villages and their activeness towards them have given women and other extremely vulnerable individuals greater opportunities for involvement in community activities, in some cases enhancing essential mobility. Increasingly, community organizers trained by ICMC, SRSP and SPO have taken responsibility for building relationships with relevant government agencies with the intention to jointly develop action plans for rights and services identified jointly in their local communities.

To hear more about how the work of ICMC and its partners are improving the every day lives of people most in need, see the stories of 'most significant change', collected by ICMC Pakistan Senior Programme Officer, Zeeste Faatima Nasim, in response to the question:

“How has your life changed after you received cash support from the Sarhad Rural Support Programme/ICMC?”

• Achieving a sustainable source of income
• New hope
• Search for destination
• Search for light
• Undefeated woman