Pakistan: Building nutrition resilience after the floods

ORGANISATION
Alight

LOCATION
Wah Burira, Sukkur District, Pakistan

The challenge: floods and food insecurity

When the 2022 floods swept across Sindh, Pakistan, Wah Burira village was among the hardest hit. Homes were destroyed, livelihoods washed away, and access to safe food and water severely disrupted. Children and mothers were particularly affected – many were already facing malnutrition before the disaster struck.

In the aftermath, humanitarian aid provided essential life-saving support. But as the floodwaters receded, it became clear that without lasting systems in place, families would again be left vulnerable to hunger and disease.

Disasters such as this are never natural – they are the result of unaddressed risks and underinvestment in resilience. Alight recognised the need to move from short-term response to long-term preparedness.

The project: from relief to resilience

With support from the Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA), Alight launched the Community Management of Malnutrition (CMAM) project in 2023. The initiative combines immediate nutritional support with capacity building to strengthen community resilience.

The project provides:

• Ready-to-use supplementary foods for malnourished children
• Multiple micronutrient supplements for mothers
• Training sessions on child nutrition, hygiene and health monitoring
• Food baskets for vulnerable households to meet urgent dietary needs

Mothers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to monitor child nutrition, identify early signs of malnutrition, and share what they learn with others in the community. This locally-led approach ensures that knowledge and capacity remain in the community long after project cycles end.

Impact: healthier families, stronger futures

The results so far have been significant:

• 177,137 mothers and children have been supported through nutrition and health interventions
• Malnutrition rates have declined as families adopt improved feeding and hygiene practices
• Women have gained the skills to act as community health promoters, strengthening peer-to-peer learning and local leadership

By focusing on prevention and local capacity, the project has reduced reliance on external aid and built lasting resilience against future shocks.

Lessons: investing in prevention, not just response

The CMAM project demonstrates that nutrition is a foundation for resilience. When communities have the skills, resources and knowledge to maintain health during crises, they can withstand and recover from shocks more effectively.

This model reflects GNDR’s key message for IDDRR 2025: civil society has the local expertise to deliver effective, sustainable disaster risk finance. Investing in preparedness and prevention saves lives, protects livelihoods and reduces the long-term costs of disaster response.

Looking ahead: sustaining resilience

The programme continues in 2025 with the goal of eliminating malnutrition in Wah Burira and replicating the approach in other flood-prone communities.

By investing in local leadership and community-based health systems, Alight and its partners are helping ensure that when the next flood arrives, families are ready – not only to survive, but to recover and thrive.

This International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, GNDR calls for governments, donors, the private sector and financial institutions to prioritise funding for resilience, not just funding for disasters when they strike.

All photos: Alight Pakistan