Rizq Brings Relief to People of Buner

The disaster in Buner was immediate. The Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) and the cloudburst phenomenon houses collapsed and road access blocked in the matter of minutes. This was vastly different from riverine floods, which can be expected and controlled, this was nature in its most brutal form – taking along with it every sense of life from thousands. The residents of the beautiful valley of Buner were left in shambles as they struggled to choose between survival and security, or rescuing missing individuals and burying the dead. 

Over 220 deaths were reported in Buner valley due to flash floods, with a majority being from the highest affected region of Pir Baba. 

In these difficult times, Rizq teams were quick to move to the area despite all roadblocks and lack of communication. Our aim was simple: nutrition should not be neglected even in the face of disasters. Thousands were left shelterless, as kids cried of hunger and elderly lost spirits. Our intervention was not only crucial, it was urgent.

Rizq teams set up a live kitchen in Pir Baba, Buner, which cooked fresh meals daily, and distributed it to displaced families, passing through all kinds of destruction and devastation. Our live kitchen intervention was necessary in bringing much needed relief to thousands, as our teams fed hundreds daily, the total meals distributed being over 5,000. 

In the face of disasters, there’s a three phase response: rescue, relief and rehabilitation. As aid workers moved through debris to find bodies and survivors, Rizq supported them by providing food to those rescued. Disasters like these strike without warning, and take along with them everything from livelihoods to memories. But hunger does not wait for communities to move back to normalcy, it strikes immediately. 

At Rizq, we have spent the last 10 years sustaining human lives primarily through provision of nutritious food. It was only natural to do it when our communities in Buner needed it the most.