Food rationing and distribution

The early days of the coronavirus pandemic were an especially hard time for everyone. With lockdowns in effects, people‘s mobility was greatly reduced. This was especially apparent in the marginalised and poor communities throughout the various rural areas of the Punjab province of Pakistan.

Many lost their livelihoods and spiralled into poverty, stuck in a seemingly endless anguish. Some found ways to continue working regardless of the coronavirus SOPs trying to make ends meet. Their insistence to work through lockdowns posed a far greater danger to themselves, their families and others.

Mercy Home made a note of several families that were particularly hit hard during the pandemic. As part of the project, we looked at how many members of each family were affected most by the lockdowns. We selected about 16 families from the ones that were already released in June 2019 from brick kilns and who we were being helped through rehabilitation. We also selected about 50 different families that still continued to work at various brick kilns.

These 16 released families were helped by Mercy Home with food rations for four full months, while the families still working at brick kilns were supported for three months with food and groceries.

After rolling out the food distribution project at Sarai Muhajir, Mercy Home expanded its reach to other families in other towns and cities throughout Pakistan. Mercy Home helped support families in Hyderabad, Kasur and Faisalabad as part of this project.