1. World Vision Pakistan staff in Oghi Sub division getting ready to take
action on Climate Crisis
Climate change effects have
adversely impacted the District
Mansehra during the past 20
years. Rural communities living
in this area are mostly affected
by increasing number of
natural disasters due to
melting glaciers and snow in
northern hilly areas and leading
to flooding, soil degradation
and damages to agricultural
land and crops, particularly
during summer. A continuously decreasing level of water has been observed in this
region while the pleasant cold weather is becoming hotter and hotter every year as
mean temperature has raised 0.6 to 1 degree Celsius in arid mountains and arid plains.
Communities living in this area by large depend on farming as their major source of
livelihoods, followed by livestock, remittances and labor, the damages to agricultural
lands, decreasing level of water in rivers together with pest attacks on crops is
contributing in low productively and making the area food insecure. Similarly in past, this
region has always been impacted by heavy rains during monsoon season but now
unexpected heavy rains are occurring before or after the monsoon and result in flash
floods, soil erosion and landslides. Overall in Pakistan, it is estimated that 18-32%
increase in monsoon rainfall has been observed in sub humid and humid areas, while 17-
64% departure of rainfall from normal season has been recorded during strong EL Nino
events.
Oghi- one of the sub divisions of District Mansehra is also among those areas where
food insecurity and increasing natural disasters have been significantly observed in the
past two decades. Oghi is located at a distance of 40 kilometer in the north of main
Mansehra city. It is a beautiful mountainous and lush green hilly area however like other
regions this area has also lost a major part of their precious forests due to extensive use
for fuel and illegal wood cutting from government reserved forests. World Vision
Pakistan is working in this region after the earthquake of 2005 while food security has
now got a major focus in terms of different agricultural related and agro forestry
projects for local communities in collaboration with government.
More then 70% of the communities depend on forests for their livelihoods and it is
majorly used as fuel, keeping houses warms during winter and houses construction.
Illegal wood cutting also continues. All these factors contribute in increasing level of
landslides and degrading environment. Another risk that threaten lives of community is
strong winds and storms as most of the houses roof are built of iron sheets, particularly
after the earthquake of 2005 where during the relief and rehabilitation phase, most of
the NGOs have distributed CGI sheets for reconstruction of houses. Often strong

2. winds/storm result in flying off lose iron sheets from the roofs and causes injuries and
casualties. Communities of this region consider storms as an unexpected uncontrolled
natural phenomena, while mostly unaware and illiterate, particularly women; they never
think that all these natural disasters are actually the cause of human activities (such as
increasing CO2).
My participation in Asia-Pacific Summit on Climate Change last month in Melbourne
inspired my thinking about engaging local communities and government for their
livelihoods protection through more innovative means rather then conventional
approach of working. Looking at the longer term consequences of climate change in this
region, I have started mobilizing my own colleagues working in World Vision to think
about longer term planning for community livelihoods protection by establishing its
strong correlation with climate change. We need to think about the emerging and most
needed role of NGO professionals and government authorities in combating the climate
crises that are increasing day by day and impacting human beings and their natural,
physical as well as social assets.
I delivered my second presentation on Climate Change to World Vision Pakistan in
Oghi field office on 30th July, 2009 where twenty staff members (managers, programme
and support staff) participated and got to know about the science of climate change, its
cause particularly the increasing level of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, increasing
environmental degradation and its impacts all over the world as well as in Pakistan.
Presentation covered the factors that contribute to increasing CO2 i.e. use of fossil fuel,
deforestation etc. We particularly discussed about the consequences of climate change
in District Mansehra and Oghi and reviewed the current and future strategies of
development under the Oghi Area Integrated Programme of World Vision Pakistan to
look for more opportunities in the field of environmental protection, food security,
renewable energies and advocacy with relevant authorities that contribute to
communities’ increased resilience and protection from the adverse effects of climate
change.
We as part of our society also focused on what personal actions we can take at the
individual, family and community level to fulfill our own responsibilities to combat
climate crises. The presentation particularly focused on motivation of every one to think
about this crisis as the most important and core issue of development and an increasing
risk to the planet. Environmental degradation and food insecurity were our key themes.
We also discussed about the role of Pakistan government in joining international
community with more serious actions and responsibilities, looking for technology
transfer and increasing efforts in renewable energies.
We also discussed about the possibilities of hydro power projects that have more
potential in northern hilly areas of District Mansehra to produce electricity for rural
communities as well as using water for multi cropping, nurseries raising, fish farming and
lots of other small scale initiatives for improving livelihoods. By the end of presentation,
the participants expressed their personal commitments that how they will be changing
their lives and taking actions to play their due role in combating the climate crisis. These

3. are like doing more plantation, sharing knowledge with friends, families and communities
in their area of work, careful use of electricity and water, mobilizing school children etc.
While there were also commitments from programme staff such as advocating on the
issue of climate change, writing concept papers for new projects, integrating
environment as cross cutting theme into different development projects. Here are few
commitments shared by the World Vision Pakistan- Oghi staff;
I will plant 100 trees in my village and I will make aware and motivate my villagers to do more
plantations to keep the environment safe.
Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, Area Development Manager
Being an advocacy officer I will write a proposal on awareness raising on climate change issues
among local communities and sensitizing them towards their responsibility to preserve the
environment in their areas. I will arrange a walk with school children to make them aware on
climate change effects and motivate them to do more plantations in their school and their
villages.
Ms. Irum Gillani, Advocacy Officer
I will visit the government forest department and ask them to provide plants for the primary
schools and I will mobilize students and teachers of the primary schools for plantation in their
schools and surrounding areas.
Ms. Shagufta Haleem, Community Project Officer
I will grow a plan in my house and I will share with my family members, friends and neighbors
about the importance of environmental protection and our responsibility to do so.
Ms. Zaryab Yousaf, Assistant Monitoring & Evaluation Officer