Knowledge sharing is critical in disaster relief programs and post-disaster reconstruction and development. As learned in recent major relief activities (e.g., the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in New Orleans in 2005, Haiti on 12 January of this year), the whole success of putting life back together for victims of natural disasters builds on how well – and how fast – knowledge can be shared and acted upon.
The latest example of KM/knowledge services at the practical, every-day level is seen in daily news clips from Pakistan, where flooding is destroying lives and communities at horrible speed. Before this society can move beyond this tragedy, the damage must be assessed, relief supplies flown in, medical help and transportation provided, all tasks that call for the highest standards in managing information, knowledge, and learning for getting the job done.
Latest news about how KM/knowledge services is being implemented in Pakistan comes from the Information Services Section of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), with this report filed from Nairobi:
Following the worst flooding disaster in living memory in Pakistan which, according to analysts, has affected one fifth of the country and an estimated 20 million people, the UN-HABITAT Pakistan Office is conducting assessments, and has set up offices in the 5 provinces of Gilgit Baltistan, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwah and Azad Kashmir. The assessment teams will collect information on different types of damage which will be shared with relevant clusters and partners. They will focus on land and settlement issues, community preferences, reconstruction plans, housing types and cost, local knowledge and availability of skills so that they can build capacity for reconstruction. UN-HABITAT has so far distributed 300 tents in Charsadda district of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwah and is providing technical assistance to shelter cluster for developing viable shelter models. Shelter and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for All (WASH) projects with financial assistance from the Central Emergency Response Fund are being rolled out in affected areas. Find out more at www.unhabitat.org.pk.
To help the flood victims, please send your donation to:
Bank Name: JP Morgan Chase, New York
A/C Name: United Nations Shelter for all
A/C Number: 485002639
SWIFT Code: BIC-CHASUS33
ABA# 021 000 021
Ref. Pakistan flooding crisis
Guy St. Clair is the Series Editor for 
How long did it take for the international aid organisations to be on site?