Daily Times

THATTA: Two females living in Thatta’s remote coastal villages having common name ‘Benazir’ are facing common fate too. Living in neighbouring villages of the Thatta district, both of them suffer as they have to travel a long distance to arrange water for their respective families.

The duo came in limelight during a rare photographic exhibition of secondary level students held at village Noor Muhamma Thaheem near Gharo Town.

WaterAid, an international non-profit organisation (INGO) involved in providing clean water, safe toilets and hygiene education, had arranged the cameras for the students.

Organisers said majority of participants were students, especially girls, who had not mobile phone. Only few guys had used cameras before.

Among the fine produced photo-features, Benazir Thaheem, a woman living in a costal village in Thatta, became the subject of photographer Kalsoom Ibrahim.

Sources said that Benazir Thaheem, a 28-year-old dweller of Noor Muhammad Thaheem village, travels a long distance to fetch water from a canal for her four-member family. Everyday Benazir fetches water nine times to fulfill family water needs.

“We are facing very difficulty in collection water. I feel very tired after covering such as long distance,” sources quoted Thaheem as having said.

Another case of nine-year-old Benazir Mirbahar, highlighted by another student Suman, tells the same tale.

The girl collects comes along with her mother to fetch water after covering a long distance. Both (Benazir and her mother) face sheer pain while fetching water for their family.

Suman wrote since Mirbahar’s home was away from canal, therefore, she had to travel a long distance to collect water from a hand pump to fulfill her ten members’ family water need. Hence she cannot take time out for studies.

Organisers of the exhibition said that during the participatory workshop initial assessment was conducted in around 25 schools before finally short-listing eight students from village Noor Muhammad Thaheem.

“It was unique experience,” said Ayesha Javed, representative of WaterAid in Pakistan. “We trained them how to operate cameras, how to take pictures and teach them various camera techniques. We also provided them assistance to write stories so that children can highlight their issues on their own,” she added.

Riaz Ahmed, another young photographer was so excited at showcasing his talent through an exhibition. “Earlier I wanted to become a businessman but now I am interested in photography,” he said. “This is my first milestone towards this goal,” Riaz added.