Action Aid ERP engaged in routine activities of distribution of Cash grants in all field areas that would help to improve the quality of life of the quake ravaged people as well as in rehabilitation of their destroyed shops along with improving their shelters. This would help the shopkeepers to avoid dependency on others. The quake hit shopkeepers, who have lost their shops in the earth quake, were provided CGI sheets for Grocery shops in different villages of Muzzafar Abad and Battgram. In this regard, over 30 shopkeepers were benefited and they started their own business in these shops. Further more; the "most immediate needs” of the community was addressed to distribute prefabricated shelters in Bagh while a prefabricated sheets and a stove each in Battgram among the vulnerable families. Over forty prefabricated shelters were also converted into permanent shelters in Battgram and Mansehra. Besides the support of the people living in shelters, stoves were also distributed among the most vulnerable families living in Mahajir Camp in Muzzafar Abad.

 Apart from the shops distribution, keeping in view the high ratio of female in the quake hit zone, the training and capacity building in livelihood sector has been continued especially for the women. The trainings are necessary in order to generate household income of the communities at grass root level. The quake affected women determined to support their families financially; therefore, they showed their interest in vocational training centers to polish their sewing skills up to the business level. Muzzafar Abad field office hired a skilled trainer of the Agriculture Department to train women in Kitchen Gardening that would make them know how to make the vegetables more productive, how to cultivate vegetables and how to fertilize the soil during harvesting. The distribution of seasonal calendars was constructive to know the exact time of the specific vegetables cultivation. Fruit and Vegetable Preservation Training enhanced the capacity to restore the fruits and vegetable in specific season and to use in other seasons. The training was fruitful especially for the people of the cold areas who use to restore fruits and vegetables for their survival in the chilling cold season. Moreover, poultry was also distributed among 20 most vulnerable families to promote poultry farming tradition at house level.

Community centers were completed in Bagh and Battgram and equipped with all necessary medical equipments. The doctors have started providing free medical facilities. These will also serve as hubs for the communities in near future in all field areas.

Respond quickly to animal diseases in Muzzafar Abad, the veterinary doctor vaccinated the distributed animals along with other animals of the community. Banners were made to call and invite a large number of communities for the vaccination.

The Muzzafar Abad and Battgram field offices have been proactive in infrastructure and hygiene related fields. Battgram field office provided 15 water tanks to the communities for the restoration of safe water where as, all necessary materials have been distributed for construction of latrines in 400 families in Muzzafar Abad and Battgram.

A meeting was held with the Chairman of ERRA to discuss issues regarding the flow of funds, data on compensation for people, and their Social Protection Strategy.  Certain issues regarding accountability to the people were discussed and the Chairman was asked to facilitate a meeting with the people in the earthquake affected areas (or their nominated representatives) on the Housing Policy so that people would get an opportunity to express their demands directly to the concerned people.

A documentary centering on the issues related to compensation and peoples testimonies has been approved and is expected to be completed by early September.  This documentary will be aired by different channels around the anniversary to highlight the need for early compensation for people who still have not received it. Further more, Research on six policy briefs to be conducted by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute has been finalized and it is hoped that some of the preliminary findings can be used for the Anniversary plans for the earthquake in October.

A meeting was held with two Gender and Policy Focal Points to orient them on policy issues as well as concretizing the structure of the Citizens Commission on Relief and Rehabilitation (CCRR) in the four districts. 

To improve further the quality of work, the PRA Training was arranged for the community and both male and female participated in Bagh and Muzzafar Abad. The educated, especially the students, were provided an opportunity to learn the computer courses; therefore, the Computer Training was arranged. Twenty participants participated in Muzzafar Abad in the training where as the uneducated masons and carpenters have completed the first training to build earth quake resistance construction in Bagh. 

Emerging Issues:

•  Monsoon rains have added further miseries to the devastated people in the earth quake affected areas. The tenants faced many problems as their tents were flooded with water. Eleven members of one family died in Mansehra due to sliding. Several deaths were reported in the newspapers in different quake hit areas during the reported month. Roads were blocked due to rampant land sliding in Muzzafar Abad but the filed staff managed to continue their scheduled activities where as due to heavy sliding, the community of Hill area of District Battgram were called to Shamlai to collect their shelters. Moreover, the rain destroyed cultivated fields in different areas of Mansehra and Muzaffar Abad.
• An emergency like situation arose when cholera spread in Mansehra and Battgram due to unsafe drinking water. There is lack of health facilities in the remote areas and the government has not taken any measurable initiatives to cope with such situations on time. The people from Oghie would have faced more problems if they were not guided to Action Aid BHU in Sosal Gali.
  
•  Propaganda and mobilization against the NGOs and their activities, particularly women related is at its peak in Bagh this time instead of Mansehra. A few local religious leaders had given 3^rd of September as a deadline to NGOs working in Bagh. They have started processions at local level to get the attention of the community and media. Though, the administration has ensured support and announced that no one would be allowed to disrupt relief activities in the area, yet, most of the international staff members of INGOs have come out from the area. Some INGOs have postponed their scheduled activities in the area that would definitely favor the so called religious leaders campaign.
  
•      Almost a year has been past, since than most of the people have not received the compensation amount in quake hit zone. Most of the people are not sure whether they would be able to get the amount to rehabilitate their houses prior than the forth coming winter or they would face the music in the same tents and shelters. The government and its related policies, of compensation and rehabilitation, are completely failed. Above all, none of the community feels frank with ERRA approach and its policies related to them. It is, as there is lack of community involvement in high level policy making.