Avaaz.org donates $330,000 to Plan's Pakistan flood relief

Pakistani girls carry containers with clean water as they walk through what is left of their village.

A $330,000 (200,000 pound) donation from advocacy organisation Avaaz is set to boost Plan International's Pakistan flood response.

The money will help Plan meet the emergency needs of children and their families displaced by flooding in three of the worst affected districts of Sindh Province in southern Pakistan.

About 70,600 people will benefit from the work, including 30,000 children, with distribution of high-energy biscuits and milk through Plan's child-friendly spaces program.

"Six weeks after the flooding started in Pakistan, different parts of the country are experiencing different stages of the disaster," says Plan's Asia program officer Max Baldwin, from Pakistan. "While the northern regions are moving into recovery and rehabilitation, this district in Sindh is still facing evacuations and receiving emergency relief."

So far, Plan has distributed dry ration packs to 4984 families in Khairpur and Ghotki districts and distribution in Thatta district will begin next week. While distributing dry food rations, Plan has also distributed 20,000 special Eid food packages to flood-hit families in a bid to give them some respite from the grim conditions during the most important annual holiday for Pakistani Muslims. After the Eid holidays, child-friendly spaces will be established, where Avaaz-funded milk and high energy biscuits will be distributed to children.

"It is estimated that up to six million flood-affected people are in need of food assistance over the next three months," says Mr Baldwin. This number may yet rise as the situation in Sindh continues to deteriorate.

"With masses of farmland now destroyed, the country's food production has been severely threatened and significant donations are needed to fund food distribution and crop recovery both now and for the long term."

You can donate to Plan's Pakistan Floods appeal through our Children in Crisis Fund, or by calling 13 75 26.

Find out more about Plan's response to the Pakistan floods.

Fine out more about Plan's ongoing work in Pakistan.