Signs of Recovery After the Quake

by Chris Herlinger, Church World Service

The effects of the October 2005 earthquake are still all too apparent in Balakot City in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province. Many of the survivors of the disaster remain in tents, and numerous signs of destruction are still visible.

There are signs of recovery, however - the city's market is slowly coming back to life. And a cornerstone of CWS work in the region is bustling. In conjunction with DOSTI, a local partner, CWS is helping train young men in the trades of masonry, electricity, welding, plumbing and carpentry. The training will allow the men to not only build new homes for their families, but also help them with reconstruction efforts throughout the region.

At one of the training centers, the Bissian Construction Trade Training Center, just outside of Balakot City, several dozen young men -- who once worked as day laborers or agricultural workers -- energetically practiced their newly acquired skills, whether laying brick, cutting wood or fixing wiring.

"We're providing them a skill as tradesmen and to help their communities rebuild," said Ali Awais, 25, the energetic administrator of the center. "It becomes a project not only for themselves but for their families and communities, too."