Kunsoom Awan is growing courgettes, tomatoes and paprika in her vegetable garden from saplings given to her by NRSP. Every evening Kunsoom, her husband and two children eat food that they've grown themselves.  

Kunsoom used to have to walk five kilometres each day to fetch water from a well. Now there is a gutter on her emergency house. It collects rain water in a 750 litre barrel she uses to water her vegetable patch.

Photo: Mirjam van den Berg/Oxfam Novib

Manzoor Rajpoot sells flour, cigarettes, pens and razor blades along the main road in the Jhelum valley. He had his own shop before the earthquake, when falling debris crushed both his legs and he got stuck under the rubble. It took four days for a helicopter to reach him and take him to hospital. He now gets around on crutches.

With a grant from NRSP, villagers have begun rebuilding Rajpoot’s shop.

Photo: Mirjam van den Berg/Oxfam Novib

Aysha Awan’s goats nibble on anything. Three of them are pregnant and will give birth in two months. Aysha sells her goat milk door to door. When her flock has grown she plans to start selling goats as well.

Aysha’s three oldest children were at school when the earthquake struck, and survived frightened, but physically unscathed. Her youngest son was playing at home and did not survive. Neither did Aysha’s sister.

Photo: Mirjam van den Berg/Oxfam Novib

Jabina Qambar sold her first gaba last week. It made her £10. A gaba is a traditional embroidered plaid or cover and a favourite article in Pakistani households. Women who master the art of fancy embroidery are held in high esteem. Jabina, who left school at 14, received lessons from NRSP.

Photo: Mirjam van den Berg/Oxfam Novib

In Amra Wawan a group of men are working hard on an irrigation canal. When it is finished more than 200 people will have a regular water supply for their fields so they can grow their own maize, wheat and vegetables.

The men received special training from NRSP on how to build and maintain irrigation canals.

Photo: Mirjam van den Berg/Oxfam Novib

Three weeks before the earthquake Naseem Jan bought a pregnant buffalo. When the barn collapsed the buffalo died, and she was left without money. When the first repairs in the village were done, Naseem borrowed some money from her neighbours to buy a new buffalo. NRSP added the remaining money needed. Her new buffalo now provides ten litres of milk per day which Naseem delivers to 80 neighbours.

Photo: Mirjam van den Berg/Oxfam Novib

“Don’t they sting?” This was the first thing Fatima Syed Hamdani asked when she was given beekeeping training. The beekeeper put her mind at ease and she now has four hives buzzing underneath the fruit trees in her courtyard. To date they have produced three kilos of honey. Fatima makes a cough syrup from it, and is convinced that it also helps prevent high blood pressure.

Photo: Mirjam van den Berg/Oxfam Novib

People come from many villages to see Nasiimi Bibi and have her make their clothes. They bring their own material and Nasiimi makes a traditional shalwar kameez, a long robe with fitting trousers. She starts work as soon as her three children are in bed.

Six months ago she graduated from an NRSP training course in sewing. She then received a sewing machine, and is able to make £12 per month from her new business.

Photo: Mirjam van den Berg/Oxfam Novib