Struggling with the heat

Roshni, a social therapeutic community in Lahore, keeps going bravely. While the Corona pandemic has been less of a problem here, the real challenge is the heat.

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Generally, things are going well for Roshni. The situation in Pakistan appears to have stabilized and, if one can trust the official figures, the country has been comparatively little affected by the Coronavirus. “We don’t have such a problem here with stigmatization and conspiracy theories. There was a hint of that at some point, but now co-workers and families are working together harmoniously,” says Alexander Kühne, a staff member in Roshni.

Staff have to comply with hygiene regulations, local curfews, medical examination, prophylactic measures and the like. We are happy that the workshops are open for half of the day, although the Waldorf School is unfortunately closed. The teachers are trying to convey some contents via WhatsApp.

Luckily, a physician with experience in crisis management came to Roshni just before the first lockdown. He plays a lot with the children, including physical games. He also trains staff in care-giving.

The financial situation of the families, including staff, is more of a problem. But thanks to a Ramadan charity campaign in April the annual accounts closed with only a slightly lower result than in the previous year.

The heat is a real challenge; it crushes all life. Productivity is greatly reduced as a result. Only rice and weeds are growing at the moment and the animals suffer, too; they are producing less milk and the hens have all but stopped laying.

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