Robert Cruickshank

They have left with little more than the clothes on their backs, said Robert Cruickshank, CAFOD's Pakistan program manager, according to the CAFOD website. He said the 26 official camps, housing 262,000 refugees, were overcrowded and people, particularly the elderly, were suffering in temperatures as high as 53 degrees Celsius.

He added: "Hundreds of thousands of people have sought shelter in schools and mosques or are living with families, creating a huge additional burden for the already poor host families. Our partners will be concentrating much of their efforts on supporting those living with extended family members, although they are spread far and wide in small groups."

CAFOD's partners -- Caritas Pakistan, the US-based Catholic Relief Services and ICMC, the International Catholic Migration Commission -- are already providing clean water, temporary shelter, bedding and cooking utensils as well as trauma counseling to nearly 150,000 people.

Women in particular are traumatized and confused as many have never left their homes before, said Cruickshank.

CAFOD's humanitarian officer, Robert Cruickshank has visited some of the flood-affected areas.He says: "Houses have collapsed, crops are under water, people are dangerously isolated because roads are submerged.
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Robert Cruickshank said that these floods would have been more severe than in 2000/2001 when half a million people were made homeless but this time the Mozambican authorities have been better prepared.

Mereka hanya memiliki pakaian di badan, kata Robert Cruickshank, manejer program dari CAFOD Pakistan, demikian website CAFOD. Ia mengatakan bahwa 26 kamp resmi, yang menampung 262.000 pengungsi, telah penuh sesak dan orang-orang, terutama yang sudah tua, sangat menderita karena temperatur setinggi 53 derajat Celsius.

Left to right: Anthony Balderbos, Maggy Chaplin, Kath Howell and Robert Cruickshank at St Mary's church, Loughborough [CAFOD]
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Left to right: Anthony Balderbos, Maggy Chaplin, Kath Howell and Robert Cruickshank at St Mary's church, Loughborough
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Robert Cruickshank, who has first hand experience of working for CAFOD in disasters and emergencies, joined us at St Mary's Church, Loughborough, for an evening of pictures and stories about his work.He gave a personal perspective on the work covering the "rapid response" to global emergencies and continuing development long after the initial event.

CAFOD humanitarian officer Robert Cruickshank is currently working with Caritas Gulu on supporting those affected by the forgotten conflict.