40-year-old Guloon was visiting her parents with her youngest daughter when the conflict reached Buner. Her six other children were at home in Khuwazakhela in Swat, in the care of her eldest son and his wife. The fighting was so sudden and unexpected that there was no way for Guloon to travel back home. Instead she had to flee to Mardan in search of safety, leaving behind her children.
Guloon is now she is living in a local school that has been turned into a makeshift camp and still has no idea whether or not her other children managed to escape.
“I just want my children back”
“My other children are all stuck in our village. Weeks have passed since the fighting started and I have had no contact with any of them. I have no way of knowing whether they are alive and safe.
“The worst thing is that I have no idea what my children are going through and I cannot help them. I don’t know if they have food or if they are hungry. I think about them all the time; they are never out of my mind. I just want my children back so that we can live the way we used to.
“Since this has happened I have not eaten properly and I cannot concentrate on anything. I cannot sleep and every night I have nightmares. The way we are living now is very difficult; we don’t have enough food or water and conditions in the school camp are bad. But none of this bothers me; all I care about is that I get my children back.
“My parents are struggling to survive”
“My parents are staying with me in this school. They are both elderly and my father is paralysed and is finding things very difficult because he does not have a wheelchair. My mother finds it hard to walk because she has problems with her knee.
“It is so painful to see them suffering so much and I wish I could do something for them. They miss their home and their village and are finding it difficult living in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. The weather is extremely hot here and we have no fan and not enough food or water either. I can see they are suffering and that they are literally struggling to survive.
“Islamic Relief will help us”
“This morning at a community meeting held by Islamic Relief I was told that we would be provided with healthcare and clean water, and that our children will be given food, and support. I am very happy that we will get this support especially the free medical care as we are unable to afford treatment or medication.”
Guloon’s is one of many families that have been torn apart by the conflict. Islamic Relief will be working to track children and reunite them with their families. We are also providing psychosocial care to traumatised children and meeting the urgent needs of displaced and host communities.
To help families like Guloon’s please donate here.