The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has picked Qatar Charity (QC) as a partner in implementing urgent relief interventions in the Punjab Province of Pakistan, under the agreement of cooperation and partnership in cases of emergencies digned by both parties.

Under the other agreements, Qatar charity has previously implemented water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) projects in the same province during recent years, in partnership with UNICEF.

The agreement, under which Qatar Charity’s office in Islamabad was selected as a partner in implementing relief interventions, is another step for Qatar Charity to strengthen its leadership position in the humanitarian sector at the international level, including the Punjab Province of Pakistan. Under the agreement, Qatar Charity will remain fully prepared for any emergency humanitarian intervention or operations.

Under this $1 million pact, Qatar Charity will implement relief interventions within 24 hours of the approval of UNICEF to declare a state of emergency in Punjab. This is a four-year agreement as of December 2019 to December 2023.

UNICEF selects its partner organizations very carefully, conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the organizations to make a decision on the partnership with them. UNICEF evaluated Qatar Charity in 2016 and found it among the organizations that meet the partnership requirements.

The agreement shows the importance of the role played by Qatar Charity in Pakistan to reduce disaster risk and respond to emergencies.

As part of its partnership with UNICEF in the field of water and sanitation, the WASH projects implemented by Qatar Charity in Shorkot located in the Punjab Province of Pakistan, witnessed  a remarkable achievement.

UNICEF expressed satisfaction with what has been achieved so far, and expressed its confidence in the quality of the implemented project, the improvement in the health situation of the area, and the change in the sanitation and hygiene culture of the people.

The project, which benefits more than 44,000 households in 98 villages, including persons with special needs, has contributed to changing the culture of rural citizens related to sanitation, hygiene and safe drinking water, which improved the health and livelihood of the population.

With assistance from Qatar Charity, ‘Community Action Plan for WASH’ and the ‘School Action Plan for WASH’  were prepared for “Rakh Kotla” also known as Bihari Colony.  In the locality of Rakh Kotla, a total of 110 household latrines were constructed. Because of this intervention, the government declared Rakh Kotlaas 100 % open defecation free village. Qatar Charity, in partnership with UNICEF, completed the construction of 14500 household and school toilets in Shorkot Tehsil.

Qatar Charity also installed a 50,000-gallon water plant that contributed to the clean drinking water supply for 200 houses, benefiting 1,400 people in Jhang, in addition to building seven toilets for people with special needs, and installing basins in 18 public schools to promote the culture of washing hands with water and soap among students.