Wisdom of Life

Human Interest Story (No Roof above our Heads…)

Human Interest Story

No Roof above our Heads…

HIS - Lakhmeer

Lakhmeer with his family in his damaged house

During household survey in ADC colony UC-8 of district Jacobabad, UN-Habitat team met a distraught family and requested the house owner to show their latrines to the team in an attempt to help them adopt proper sanitation. It was found that this house had a traditional open drain type latrine with improper drainage. The house belonged to Lakhmeer who lives with his two brothers and a widowed sister and her three kids in a damaged house without roof, and only a tent above their heads.

Safe drinking water is a luxury Lakhmeer cannot afford at the moment due to high health expenses and cigarette consumption. He is stuck in this vicious cycle where he cannot spend on safe drinking water which is further increasing health issues and expenses. Lakhmeer was in dire need of guidance when the Social Mobilization Team reached him and taught the family easy and effective ways to clean water without spending huge amounts of money. They were told about maintaining basic hygiene, proper usage of latrine, hand washing, and to quit smoking which was not just draining his health but also his wealth. Today, even though proper sanitation facilities and access to safe drinking water remains a dream, Lakhmeer’s family is better off due to intervention and sensitization by the UN-Habitat Social Mobilization Team.