Rizwan Ali (59), pictured in the background, sold a portion of his land in order to pay for a truck to rescue strangers fleeing the fighting in northwest Pakistan’s Swat valley, like this man who tells his story. Rizwan is taking care of 37 people in his home and fears the added burden may plunge his family into extreme poverty, or even displacement. “I’m exhausted,” he says. “We have to play so many roles, host, provider, security, breadwinner.” Heads of households like Rizwan Ali are giving refuge to an estimated 90% of the 2 million uprooted by recent violence in the region. Photo by Syed Haider Ali.

Hosts in Pakistan’s northwest are selling off their assets and incurring debts to help those who are counting on them for food and shelter because they left everything they had in their conflict-ravaged villages. Without urgent support they risk losing everything themselves, or worse - be forced to close their doors…