On 8 October 2005 , a powerful earthquake struck the northern parts of Pakistan , killing over 70,000 people, injuring over 135,000, and destroying over 400,000 houses. [For more information on the earthquake, visit WHO Pakistan's Disaster website]

While the immediate physical needs of earthquake survivors were being met, Rozan started working on the interventions required to address the emotional and psychological impact of the associated trauma and grief on the survivors. The interventions aimed at affected communities, relief organizations, disaster workers, as well as individual survivors. The four components of the program were:

1. Psychosocial Support to Survivors

Experience has shown that the support provided to children and their families in the immediate aftermath of disaster reduces the initial distress caused by traumatic events. This support includes

• Listening to the concerns of parents and children
• Explaining the most common effects of trauma to them
• Assisting them, and helping them contact providers of basic necessities, etc.

Rozan, therefore, started providing this service to children and adults admitted to Rawalpindi General Hospital (RGH), the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), and those residing in the Women's Crisis Center in Sector H-8, Islamabad .

2. Psychosocial Debriefing for Relief Workers

As disaster workers meet the needs of victims and communities following any type of calamity, they are surrounded by and exposed to disorganization, confusion, scenes of destruction, and the tears and the pains of victims. Disaster workers have the potential to become "secondary victims" as they work long, hard hours under poor conditions.

Rozan offered debriefing sessions to organizations and individuals involved in relief work. These sessions:

• Helped them understand trauma and its impact,
• Allowed them to express their feelings and concerns in a safe environment, and
• Helped them develop health ways of coping with stress and burnout.

3. Awareness Raising and Education on Trauma

Rozan developed and implemented various strategies to raise awareness among the general public about trauma and its impact on the community. This included:

• Publishing articles in newspapers and magazines
• Developing and airing radio and television programs
• Developing information packages in English and Urdu

4. Individual Psychological Counseling and Debriefing

Previous experience with natural disasters of this kind (and of this magnitude) show that not only do such disasters have enormous immediate and long-term practical socio-political implications, but they also place individuals and entire communities at a high risk of emotional and mental health difficulties such as post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression.

While most individuals will benefit from psychosocial-based group discussions, many may still require individual counseling. Rozan, therefore, offered -- and continues to offer -- psychological counseling by a trained psychologist at the Rozan office.

Emergency Phase: Role of Volunteers

Rozan trained approximately 220 volunteers to work in various camps, shelters and hospitals. As an initial response to the disaster, the following relief work was carried out as with tremendous support of volunteers:

Crisis Center for Women in Islamabad

Over 50 women and children (mostly from Muzaffarabad) were housed at the Crisis Center for Women in Islamabad since they had lost most of their family members as well as their homes in the earthquake. A team of Rozan psychologists and volunteers visited them daily to provide them with emotional support.

At the same time, over 50 young girls (who were originally housed at the Tahir Welfare Trust, an orphanage in Rawalpindi ) were shifted to the Crisis Center. A team of Rozan psychologists and volunteers (two of each) also provided emotional support to this group and visited them for about 2-4 days.

Children's Hospital (PIMS) and Rawalpindi General Hospital

The Children's Hospital at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) received an incredibly large number of children in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, with the number increasing after damaged roads were re-opened. Most of these children were severely injured and, while some had attendants/family members, others were completely alone. Doctors and nurses not only needed basic support (taking the patients' temperature, giving them bedpans, changing their clothes and bed sheets, etc.) but and also needed people to sit and talk to the patients and their attendants; thereby decreasing the burden on the nursing staff. This support started out as practical help, but also turned into emotional support for victims.

A few days later, this support was extended to the Rawalpindi General Hospital (RGH) and the Federal Government Hospital (also known as the Poly Clinic) in sector G-6. Five teams consisting of 10-12 people each (5 Rozan staff members, 5-7 volunteers) worked in three shifts (morning, afternoon, evening) for a number of weeks after the disaster.

Volunteer Intake Support

Rozan, as part of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of NGOs, recruited/registered volunteers and assisted them in joining the various relief initiatives being coordinated by JAC (within Islamabad as well as in the Northern Areas). Rozan encouraged people to call on the Youth Help Line's toll free number to register as volunteers.

Collection of Funds and Material

As part of the coalition for relief work, Rozan with the help of volunteers assisted Sungi, which is an NGO, in the collection of funds and material for the survivors of the earthquake.