The Unseen Fabric of Hope:
How a Movement of Doers is Rebuilding Pakistan's
Flood-Struck Communities
The waters have receded, but the devastation lingers. In the hard-hit regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Swat, and Buner, the flood’s true toll isn’t just measured in destroyed homes or submerged farmlands. It’s measured in the loss of normalcy; the absence of the rhythms that define a healthy community. Yet, from this immense challenge, a powerful counter-narrative has emerged.
This is the story of students and teachers transforming classrooms into assembly lines for aid, of doctors traveling to remote valleys to bring healing where it’s needed most, and of community members rising not as victims, but as leaders. At the Society for Youth, we’ve witnessed the unstoppable force of this broad-based approach, and our #FloodResponseInitiative2025 is proof that when people come together, dignity and hope can be restored.
On the Frontlines: Three Critical Missions
Our strategy isn’t about isolated acts of charity; it’s about a coordinated, multi-pronged effort. Through our initial three missions; mobile medical camps, a dignified clothes drive, and a groundbreaking Menstrual Health Management (MHM) kit project, we’ve activated a human infrastructure that delivers impact with precision and empathy.
Healing Hands: Bringing Hope to the Underserved
In partnership with local champions, our medical teams have established mobile camps in Rahimabad, Swat, reaching communities that were simply beyond the reach of larger relief agencies. Our doctors and volunteers have treated over 380+ patients, males (43%) and females (56%) providing critical care for infections, injuries, and dehydration. Beyond a simple consultation, these camps are a strategic bulwark against a public health crisis. We’ve administered vaccinations and distributed medicine, reducing the risk of disease outbreaks in overcrowded temporary shelters. The needs are vast, and our teams are documenting key insights as one of our SFY Leaders, Prof. Nakash, reflected that:
“Most of them (flood survivors) had infection-related issues like throat infections, diarrhea, and allergic conditions, which are common after floods.”
– Prof. Nakash (SFY)
“The medical camp that was set up here has been very beneficial. Along with the medical camp, we also distributed clothes and female hygiene kits. People here were in great need because the flood affected so many and ruined their belongings.”
– Dr Zaid (SFY)
Dignity in Every Stitch: A Clothes Drive with a ConscienceThe floods stripped away more than just possessions; they took a sense of self. Clothing isn’t just about protection from the elements: it’s about dignity, normalcy, and self-respect. Our clothes drive was an act of profound care. We collected 500+ items and distributed them to 380+ people across Rahim Abad, Swat. But we didn’t just hand out bundles. Our volunteers meticulously sorted, repaired, and packaged garments by age and need, ensuring every recipient received a full, respectful kit.
In our camp, a local affected female painfully recalled,
“The water took everything from us. Our clothes, our belongings, everything was swept away. In our hardship, we had to borrow clothes from others and use them.”
– Flood Affected Female
“I was very sick and couldn’t even go outside. I didn’t have any fabric. My illness was very serious, and it lasted for about thirty days. We didn’t have any money for treatment because the floods caused a lot of damage to my house.”
– Flood Affected Female
This effort was a testament to the power of our institutional partnerships.
Our partner, Beaconhouse, Mardan and Dar-e-Arqam, Nankana Sahib, mobilized its teachers to turn donations into dignified relief, proving that a thoughtful approach makes all the difference. Bringing not only deeply felt care but also showcasing how women can mobilize communities and become key agents in driving relief efforts.Redefining Relief: Menstrual Health, A Critical Lifeline
Perhaps the most impactful and overlooked element of our work is the production and distribution of Menstrual Health Management (MHM) kits. This is a need that is often disgracefully absent from mainstream aid conversations. As Principal Zunaira Jaleel of Dar-e-Arqam Nankana, a key partner and SFY-LIME alumni, powerfully articulated,
“In any flood-affected area…the menstrual health of female victims matters very much.”
– Principal Zunaira Jaleel
Well- we took that advice very seriously- and pushed for healthcare accessibility, especially menstrual healthcare. These stories of neglect resonate across the dozens of communities that have been affected by recent floods. And in many areas, especially within remote, underdeveloped regions. Menstrual health continues to be a neglected subject. Through the #FRI25 partnerships, SFY is poised to help 1000 women and young girls get access to menstrual healthcare right at their doorstep.
The process behind these kits is a story of passion and precision. It began with procuring fabric in Faisalabad and moved to a dedicated sewing operation in Nankana. The finished pads were then transported to Mardan for final packaging with essential supplies like detergents and undergarments before being delivered to communities in Swat.This complex but seamless operation, driven by SFY’s broad-based model, was only possible because of our partnerships. Teachers from Beaconhouse School System (Mardan) and Dar-e-Arqam (Nankana)– alumni of our #LIMEPakistan Project– dedicated countless hours, ensuring that this vital need was met. This kind of broad-based engagement also fosters much needed capacity for women’s health advocacy and public leadership- enabling a system wide uplift, particularly needful to address sensitive issues like menstrual health.As a female bravely shared her struggle regarding her periods while receiving the MHM kit,
“It was my sister-in-law’s first period, she didn’t have any fabric for that. Everything was ruined and washed away (in the floods). We didn’t have anything left.”
– Female
Through this phase of #FRI25, over 140 MHM kits were distributed, directly supporting more than 18% were adolescent girls.
SFY leader Armaghan also underscored the need for menstrual health for affected women in that area,
“In this affected area of Swat, no camp like this has been set up for the (flood) affected women. We are giving the females here all the necessary items for their menstrual hygiene.”
– Armaghan Ahmed
Overcoming the Overlooked :Menstrual health: an often-neglected lifeline.
The success of these three projects is a powerful demonstration of SFY’s cluster model in action. When organizations specialize; when doctors focus on clinical care, when schools provide skilled volunteers, when civic groups handle logistics; we avoid duplication, lower costs, and accelerate delivery. Donors who support a coordinated effort get more value for their contribution, ensuring higher reach and clear accountability. But the true engine of change is the grassroots. It’s the local leaders who open their homes and identify the most vulnerable. It’s the volunteers who build trust door-to-door. It’s the beneficiaries who become active partners in their own recovery.
“We met all kinds of people here. They were suffering from many diseases. Some people needed clothes, others needed different items, and the women needed hygiene kits.”
– Mahmood Bacha (SFY Leader)
The Road Ahead: Call to Action
Our work is far from over. The scale of this disaster demands sustained commitment. We need more medical coverage, long-term hygiene and sanitation solutions, and psychosocial support. If you’re looking for where your help will make the most impact, the answer is here: by supporting collaborative, local-led coalitions like ours, your donation multiplies in effect.
SFY’s model isn’t just about giving more; it’s about connecting better. It’s about building a durable, human infrastructure– a network of teachers who sew, doctors who travel, and communities that organize. This is how we protect lives today and lay the first stones of long-term recovery for generations to come.
We are incredibly grateful to our partners, Al-Islah, Beaconhouse, Dar-e-Arqam and Afghan TV, as well as the tireless local leaders and volunteers who have given their time and resources. And invite all institutions and individuals to join this cluster.
The floods may test our resolve for years to come, but the resilience of this human movement gives us a reason for hope. The communities are not waiting to be saved; they are organizing their future, stitching it together, and standing up as one.
To support FRI25, please contact info@society4youth.org or you can donate online via “Donate” (Please use VPN). Every kit sewn, every patient treated, and every family clothed brings us closer to rebuilding normal life for thousands whose routines have been shattered.
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About SFY
Society For Youth (SFY) is a non-profit organization committed to fostering sustainable community development through grassroots organizing, education, and empowering local leadership. SFY’s broad-based model emphasizes relationality and collective action, working to address complex social challenges and build resilient communities from within.
To learn more about our work, donate, or support our mission, please feel free to reach out to us via info@society4youth.org. You can also visit the #40in4Campaign website for more insights into the foundational research that led to LIME Pakistan.