Tharparkar district is located in Sindh, Pakistan. Its headquarters is at Mithi. It has the lowest Human Development Index of all districts in Sindh. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, it had a population of 955,812 .It is bounded on the north by Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts, on the east by Barmer and Jaisalmer districts of India, on the west by Badin district and on the south by Rann of Kutch. The total area of the district is 19,638 km².
Tharparkar consists of two words; Thar means ‘desert’ while Parkar stands for ‘the other side’. Years back, it was known as Thar and Parkar but subsequently became just one word ‘Tharparkar’ for the two distinct parts of Sindh province. On the western side, Parkar is the irrigated area whereas Thar, the eastern part, is known as the largest desert of Pakistan with a rich multifaceted culture, heritage, traditions, folk tales, due to its inhabitants who belong to different religions, sects and casts.
District Tharparkar is one of the most impoverished and marginalized areas of interior Sindh, Pakistan, with almost 90% of the households living below the poverty line. Given the extreme poverty, many families are indebted to the local money lenders who give loans at very high interest rates thereby trapping people in virtual slavery. The causes of poverty are many, the main causes being vast unemployment, lack of resources, lack of marketing skills, low literacy particularly among women (2% or less), lack of health services and failure of government to provide livelihood infrastructures to the poor masses of Tharparkar district. About 40% of the one million of population comprise of Hindus and remaining 60% is Muslims in District Tharparkar.
Relief Service in Tharparkar & Umarkot
Alkhidmat welfare society Karachi , a sister orgnization of Alkhidmat foundation Pakistan has made a significant contribution to help the people of District Tharparkar and Umerkot in Sind to to ease thier misery in the drought “98. Alkhidmat stepped up a number of relief projects in October 1998, much earlier than any other goverment agency or non-goverment orgnization pitched in ; including Zamzam project . Al-ilm project, Wheat and floor distribution program etc.
The Relief Operation
Wide-ranging relief measures were undertaken on both emergency and long-term basis and a larg-scale flour and wheat distribution program was executed in three phases after the drought in 1998.
in the first phasse 450000 kg floor was providedto 88509 people of 343 villages throug 37 camps on subsized rates. In the second phase 1037720 kg flour was provided to 127385 people of 449 villages through 37 camps on subsidized rates. In the follow up phase other goods along with wheat were distributed on subsidized rates. Goods included rice, ghee, oil sugar, milk, pulse , tea, soaps, male and female clothing’s and other items of daily use in homes.
Micro Financing
The povery lines starts at Rs.457 per head monthly and the average income of 40% of Pakistan’s population is less than that. About 60 million people are deeply mired in web of poverty But in District Tharparkar poverty condition is more harmful than other parts of country. There are innumerable families where children cannot even see fruite leave alone eating it.
Keeping this situation in view Alkhidmat had started intrest-free Micro Financing scheam in District Tharparkar umerkot with very low capital of Rs.500000/- . The limit of loan is from Rs.5000/- to Rs. 50000/-. About 500 families have benefitted this intrest free loan.
Al-ilm Project(Shonra Shools)
Spreading the light of education in the remote areas of interior Sindh the Al-ilm project of Alkhidmat aims to eradicate illiteracy. Starting with few Chonra Schools, It now consists of 39 Schools ar present is 865.
The Students are provided book, copies stationary, uniform and furniture for the schools free of cost. The salaries of teachers are akso borne by the project.
Hostel in Mithi (district headquarter)
For needy and brillient students of Chonra School a hostel has been established in district head quarter Mithi aiming at students religiou, moral and educational grooming. All Expenses included academic, boarding & messing provided by Alkhidmat .
The Students are provided book, copies stationary, uniform and furniture for the schools free of cost. The salaries of teachers are akso borne by the project.
Zamzam Project
Drinking water is a biggest problem in thirsty Thar and its adjacent areas, residents have to travel, miles away to get the basic need to quench their thirst, on the other hand expenditures to dig up a well is simply out of their affordability so they become helpless and wait for outside help. Keeping in mind, Al-Khidmat welfare society sister organization of Al-Khidmat foundation Pakistan launched its “Zam Zam project” in 1998, providing 383 wells of water, mostly potable, for the Tharis - the most valuable gift of their lives. By the grace of Almighty Allah and the sincere efforts of Al-Khidmat volunteers, the Zam Zam project has yielded remarkable results in a short time and 84 percent of wells dug up by April 2008 providing sweet water. Al-Khidmat has motivated the people of Thar to redress their plight on self-help basis. It has always encouraged community participation in the relief and social uplift projects.
Al-Khidmat provides all the logistics and material required for boring and construction of the well and nearby villagers provide the labour. On an average one such well caters to the daily needs of around 500 people and 1200 Cattle.
