Pipri, a small village near Gambat in Sindh, lies by the side of a major highway. Life is difficult for the dwellers of Pipri and most of them have to resort to begging to survive. Before the Coronavirus outbreak, their mornings would take them to the nearby bus terminals on the highway, seeking alms from travellers. When the Government of Pakistan announced closures of all motorways and highways to suspend the country’s transportation network, they were faced with hunger and starvation.

The staff at our TCF School in Gambat identified this community for urgent assistance. Our principal, Ms. Rabail went door to door along with her team to identify 300 families in Pipri village who had eaten little or nothing for days. She collected their details for TCF’s COVID-19 Response team at the Head Office to mobilize support. Within a few days, in collaboration with JazzCash, TCF carried out successful cash transfers of Rs. 2,500 to each of these families. Representatives of the families collected their cash transfers and bought rations from stores in nearby Gambat and after many days, lit their wood stoves to cook.