When the Water Took Everything: Zahra’s Story  

The flood arrived without warning, turning an ordinary day into a choice between escape and loss. 

In Shigar District, Gilgit Baltistan, Zahra is a 45 year old widow raising two children on her own. Floodwater tore through her village and into her home, leaving no time to gather belongings or protect what mattered. When the current eased, the house was gone, and so was everything inside it. Zahra and her children were left with only the clothes they were wearing. 

With no safe shelter, no bedding, and very little food, the danger continued even after the water receded. Nights were the hardest, as Zahra tried to keep her children warm, fed, and well. 

Through The Zahra Trust’s Monsoon Flood Relief response in Gilgit Baltistan, Zahra received an emergency food parcel containing rice, flour, grains, cooking oil, sugar, salt, and tea. She also received a bedding set of two quilts, two mattresses, and two pillows. 

The support brought food back into the home and warmth through the night. It gave Zahra a small return to safety and steadiness after days of uncertainty. 

“For the first time after the floods, we slept comfortably and had enough to eat,” Zahra shared. 

Zahra’s family was one of 140 families supported across Skardu, Shigar, Khaplu, and Kharmang. Timely aid could not undo what the flood took, but it helped families face the aftermath with dignity and reminded them they were not alone.