The closing ceremony of “Building Resilience by Strengthening Communities – II Project” under the auspices of Muslim Aid Pakistan was held in, Islamabad, where Ms. Sherry Rehman, Chairperson Senate Standing Committee for Climate Change, Senate of Pakistan graced the occasion as the chief guest.
The closing ceremony was attended by the senior management of Muslim Aid Pakistan, representatives of NDRMF, Asian Development Bank, NDMA, PDMAs, national/international humanitarian organizations, philanthropists, civil society, academia, and also representatives from the media.
Addressing the closing ceremony, Amanullah Rind, Director of Planning PDMA Balochistan said: “Strengthening communities is essential for enhancing resilience against natural disasters and calamities.”He also highlighted the importance of fostering national and international collaborations to advance disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the context of Pakistan’s evolving climate change challenges.
While addressing the closing ceremony, Dr. Asif Iqbal – the Country Director of Muslim Aid Pakistan thanked ADB and NDRMF for their Financial contribution and appreciated the dedication of Muslim Aid workers in making the Building Resilience by Strengthening Communities – II Project successful and contributing to rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts for the people of Killa Saifullah, Loralai and Chagai in Balochistan.
Dr. Asif Iqbal also highlighted the significance of national and international collaborations to promote disaster risk reduction and strengthen the resilience of Pakistan for the vulnerable areas and communities of Pakistan.It’s noteworthy that Muslim Aid Pakistan reached 12,246 direct and 15,453 indirect beneficiaries under the project, and constructed 20 flood protection walls and 6 water reservoirs in Killa Saifullah, 7 flood protection walls and 4 water reservoirs in Chagai and 4 flood protection walls in Loralai.
Apart from this, 80 village disaster risk management committees, 50 School Based Disaster Risk Management Committees, and 16 Union Council Based Disaster Risk Management Committees were also formed in the Killa Saifullah and Chagai districts.In addition to the insightful remarks from the chief guests and guests of honor, the closing ceremony featured a panel discussion titled “Significance of DRR in the Emerging Context of Climate Change in Pakistan.” The debate explored strategies for promoting disaster risk reduction and enhancing Pakistan’s resilience.