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TM:How would you describe their daily life from morning to night?
RW:They spend most of their time looking for any kind of work they might do to earn money so that they are not a burden on their hosts.
TM:Are their children going to school? Are they being taught in their
homes? How many can read and write?
RW:They are on holiday from school for the summer. But now that some have started going back to their homes, schools are reopening and people are happy to go back. Overall, Pakistan's literacy rate is around 45% and there aren't many schools around the villages and small towns.
TM:Is Sharia law in effect in your area?
RW:Not in our area but it is in Swat and people are happy that their issues are resolved within days rather than having to wait years in government courts.
TM:What do the children do from day to day? How has the war affected
their daily lives? What do they want to do or be when they grow up?
RW:Mostly they play outside, oblivious to the problems. Many want to join the armed forces, as is the culture of Pathans who make up 30-35% of the Pakistan armed forces despite being only about 20% of the population.
Children play in a Swat IDP camp.
(Mohammad Sajjad/AP photo)
TM:What foods to they have on a daily basis? Do they have enough food? How much of their food is provided by relief agencies and how much do they provide for themselves?
RW:Meat and chicken are rare. Their diet mostly consists of bread, yogurt, rice, lentils and vegetables. Food has not been the main issue as those who have hosted these refugees have been providing them with food. Some have even sold their properties, cars and other belongings just so they could feed the large number of IDPs living as guests in their houses. But the longer this goes on, the burden will increase on the hosts; therefore, food distribution is very important, as is cash for reconstruction. Sending clothes and most other items is not really advisable as it's pretty much useless to them.
TM:Is agriculture possible? Do they grow some of their own food?
RW:They do grow some things.
(Note by Talha:Food is grown in some parts of the NWFP where the land is fertile. They grown wheat, sugar cane and other crops and a variety of fruits and dry fruits. In Balochistan or some parts of Sind that are desert or semi-desert or without water, the refugees cannot grow their own food.)
TM:What are the refugees doing to survive other than receiving aid?
