A Miracle Survivor an Old Lady woman in the

Pakistan Flood

On 8th August 2010, the devastating in Pakistan flood came to several Districts

in Sindh, especially the District Kashmore. Tori Bund’s breach has a long

lasting effect in upper Sindh, where the scale and intensity of the devastation is

well-known and worse.

Miraculously, Musmat Salma - aged about 105

years old - survived alone, for eight days and nights,

in flood water near her house in Sindh, which was

five kilometers from  the water's breached area to

her boundary wall at Tori Bund.

Musmat Salma tells the story in her own words:

“On 8th August, 2010, I was standing in my house; suddenly, I heard an

unusual noisy sound, then rapidly – I saw water coming, vastly which carried

away and swept me into a half kilometer from my house.

Then after half kilometer, I became  attached to a half fallen Date palm tree, so

after all the  water flowed in around my body, later – during half the night, the

water level gradually came under two feet.

Then the water crossed in a natural flow, but maintained a steady speed.

In the early morning, I became very hungry and drank flood water and ate some

leaves of a tree. Naturally, my body got weak and I went to a second tree –

which was thicker, as well as attached with other trees, where I remained.

So, eight days of  long hunger weakened my

body. Then suddenly, my grandson came with a

boat to my ruined house to search and take

some things remaining from my house.

I cried out by him and he quickly brought his

boat for me and took me to a doctor, where

many people came daily to see me, and 

wondered to hear my story”.

About Musmat Salma

Musmat Salma is from the Village Adam Khan Bahlkani U/C Dunyapur,

Taluka Tangwani, District Kashmore @ Kandhkot in Sindh.

Salma is the wife of Manglo. She is aged about 105 years. She has two

daughters, both in their 60s. Of her three sons, only one (Bahar Khan) is still

living which He is also in his 60s.

She currently resides with her son-in-law Mr. Baz Mohammad.

Ms. Salma has now lost her eye sight as well as body strength. Now she is

spending her life like those of disabled persons; she has was room for shelter

As resulted this poverty led us a permanent disability for ever. So now we both

are not able to do nothing and do not move any where which is resulted in

ultimately loss of our family’s financial status into weakest position so far and

we are really ruined by that last flood. So definitely we could not build any

shelter for ourselves too.

We are just spending our life’s remaining days as any dying person is waiting

for the dearth”

Same as Salma’s area here also the mostly last and ultimate source of

income is Agricultural farming, all type of revenues and outcomes come from

agricultural farming and cultivating.

People are definitely reluctant to Rice and wheat farming and their second

minor source is cattle’s in which are Buffalos, Sheeps, Goats and other animals.

This International Organization for Migration (IOM) funded One Room

Shelter (ORS) project’s basic means to get backward communities on the

track , flood affectees people which are hard hit by last year 08-08-2010 Indus

River flood.

This Shelter project basic criteria for the selection to disable, Vulnerables,

Widows, very poorest, Fully devastated & destructed, Extended families and

diseased caught families.

Due to vast devastation by flood in Pakistan, IOM has divided to its

funds to in very basic approach , because expensive shelter mean few hundreds

affectees will get benefit and same as low cost &self help basis built mean there

around quarter million / thousands of shelter will be built and provided to all

over Pakistan for flood affectees peoples.

Therefore so many people will get benefit from this programme. That’s

the real purpose to IOM Mission in these projects.

IOM funded Sewa Development Trust Sindh (SDTS) project of One Room

Shelter (ORS) has brought good result for giving a shelter to each family like

above family.

We have reached on result to give family a shelter assistance Salma Khatoon,

which has used SDTS-IOM –Japan’s funds in shelter building programme.

Salma Khatoon has used that funds to build a shelter and to construct a

disaster –resist home under One Room Shelter (ORS) project

In U/C Dunyapur , District Kashmore with support from Local Village

Committee (VC) has brought very positive changes to her and hers family’s life

and now she has own a room, and lives in bit happily way.

When SDTS team Asked a Question to Salma that what She feel on Giving

help in Her Room Building. She says,

“NGO who rebuilt my House, it could never

been built without your support, because I am

unable to reconstruct my house, no body in the

family give priority to me, So I am So much

thankful to you all Its really tough impossible

work for me to construct a room without any help,

I am happy who helped me and now I have bit

courage to live, now I am feeling comfort to own

a room and live in under roof.”