tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17818466409471791172024-02-23T02:18:07.183-08:00Active Citizens - Learning JourneyBritish Council Pakistanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13288716023245982489noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-41355904929289672572012-10-24T01:50:00.000-07:002012-10-24T01:53:51.154-07:00Saying no – Active Citizens in Muzzafargarh and their battle against drug addiction<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">“People who are drug addicts are most
vulnerable in our society and deserve our care, love, and attention”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Says
Taimoor Khalid – a young Active Citizen from Muzzafargarh. Taimoor along with
four other group members is working with members of his community to help
people struggling with drug addiction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">An idea takes root<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Drug abuse
has always been part of the day-to-day life in Taimoor’s neighbourhood. There
is only one public park where Taimoor lives, and as far back as he can remember
it has always been home to drug addicts. The drugs of choice: Heroin and
Hashish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXsUH0bQ0MEFdWXY3gtUcpy5JtLsBlLpsITaUiJ9n-rI1QeqZomZcR_gu9Fegr53t9iAiI4iusuj_dc0M_F7KeHwoo3-0pG7Ch-Uz8YDBzJP5FeA8eyd4H0sxKhhY6hm_o7XpkHfF0EBK/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXsUH0bQ0MEFdWXY3gtUcpy5JtLsBlLpsITaUiJ9n-rI1QeqZomZcR_gu9Fegr53t9iAiI4iusuj_dc0M_F7KeHwoo3-0pG7Ch-Uz8YDBzJP5FeA8eyd4H0sxKhhY6hm_o7XpkHfF0EBK/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">According
to Taimoor, on a given day it is normal to see 50 to 60 addicts in the park,
abusing drugs in public. Over the years this has had the effect of
desensitizing people to this damaging practice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">This is why
when these five young people were asked to propose a Social Action Project in
the final phase of their training, they chose to start an awareness campaign
against drug abuse and to work together to help addicts recover from their
addiction and to ease their path back into society as valued and contributing
members.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Indifference<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Perhaps the biggest challenge for the group was
convincing families of addicts that drug addiction is a disease and people who
abuse drugs require medical attention to recover from it and proper rehabilitation
so that they do not relapse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In most cases the group members found family members
of drug addicts indifferent to the possibility of successful treatment of the
addiction. According to Taimoor most parents argued that as long as their child
was not causing any trouble they did not care. Medical facts and religious
reasoning were used by the group to convince them otherwise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In all the youth group met close to 45 people. Gradually
the affected community members began trusting the young people and showed
interest in their project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The group members also spoke to addicts personally and
tried to convince them to kick the habit. After a lot of visits 8 drug addicts
expressed their desire to sober up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Support<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Besides visiting families of addicts the youth group
also visited the local public school, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Government</i></st1:placename><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <st1:placename w:st="on">Degree</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype></i></st1:place><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i> According to Taimoor, illegal drugs
use by high school students is rampant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The young people discussed their project with the
principal of the school who expressed enthusiasm and promised his full support.
And so began the second leg of the awareness campaign: high school students of
Muzzafargarh. The awareness sessions also included documentary videos which
highlighted the perils of drug abuse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The group also convinced the school administration to
declare the entire school a no smoking zone. The principal of the school and
some staff members promised to contribute a portion of their monthly pay check
to the group to pay for medication and other expenses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Recovery<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Finally,
with 8 people committed to kick their habit the group approached several
doctors and medical staff. They managed to convince a few of them to volunteer
their time and expertise in detoxification and rehabilitation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">To pay for
the medication the group made use of the money collected from the teaching
staff of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Government</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Degree</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
To raise additional funds they embarked on a scrap collection drive through the
entire district. When people found out why they were collecting scrap they
happily donated unneeded possessions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">By selling
scrap to local junkyards the group was able to raise enough money to meet their
expenses and purchase the needed medication.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Round 2<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">After the
treatment of the eight patients ended the group members made a point of
visiting them daily to support them through the period of rehabilitation. They
have also convinced the recovering addicts to accompany them on their tours to the
high school and to participate in their awareness sessions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">Taimoor and
his friends now plan to follow the same sustainable model to help other members
of the community who suffer from drug addiction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-16446086822227700792012-10-23T04:50:00.001-07:002012-10-23T04:50:27.747-07:00It takes two – Active Citizens open up new avenues in Multan<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB">As young people growing up in Suraj Miani –
a neighbourhood of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Multan</st1:place></st1:city>
– Abdul Rahman and Shumaila Bibi always felt the absence of IT training
institutes in the area. The nearest computer training institute is 7 – 8
kilometres away and the nearest internet café is 3 kilometres away.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Perhaps the absence of a technology
institute is felt more acutely by young girls and women of the area. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Multan</st1:city></st1:place> being a
conservative city, relatively more avenues for personal growth are open to men
than women. This includes opportunities for higher education and professional
courses. After graduating high school most women face added restrictions by
their families, and unnecessarily venturing out of homes is frowned upon.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">At the Active Citizens training that they
attended Abdul Rahman and Shumaila proposed a facility where the residents of
Suraj Miani – especially women could benefit from technology education and brush
up their language skills. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span>A local NGO offered them space in their
offices to hold the classes, and the youth group managed to arrange 4 computers
for the classes – including their personal lap top computers. Now came the hard
part: convincing parents of young girls to let them attend the free computer and
English classes.</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Abdul Rahman and Shumaila arranged two
separate meetings: one at the Union Council head quarters for the male members
of the community, and one for women and young girls at the residence of a
community member. Besides these community meetings the young Active Citizens
also took part in a door-to-door awareness campaign to recruit students for the
coaching centre.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">When asked about the problems faced by the
youth group, Abdul Rahman responded that: “the biggest hurdle faced by us was
convincing parents of young girls to let them attend the classes. The area we
live in is very conservative and women stepping out of their houses are frowned
upon”.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Ultimately 90 women and 25 men signed up
for the computer classes. As a bonus the young women were also offered and
English language course taught by Shumaila while Abdul Rahman along with
another volunteer teaches the computer classes. The students are tested after
the course is completed and successful candidates are awarded a certificate by
the youth group. The ages of the students range from 14 years to 23 years and
classes are held four days a week.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Besides acquiring technical skills the
training also gives the students the confidence to pursue more challenging
opportunities. A clear indication of this is the fact that 3 girls after
successfully attending the computer course managed to get jobs in private
schools where they teach Microsoft Word and Excel to young female students.
This has also inspired other women to sign up for the classes.</span></div>
Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-13488908051109257322012-10-22T23:45:00.000-07:002012-10-22T23:45:34.519-07:00Banking on education<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Sometimes the
simplest ideas if put into practice properly can be extremely effective. An
example of this is the Social Action Project being implemented by Kiran Kumari:
a book bank; a simple but effective concept. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Being a school teacher
in Sindh, Kiran knows well the hurdles faced by economically disadvantaged
individuals – especially when it comes to educating their children. So it was
only logical that when Kiran completed her Active Citizens training she would
start a Social Action Project to make the education process less costly for
parents who struggle to make ends meet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Kiran asked her
students to donate school books to her so that other, less fortunate children
may use them. She also reached out to friends, relatives, and other teachers in
the area for any reusable books that they could spare. With the help of her
students she got rid of any erasable markings from the books and covered the
books with clean scrap paper to protect them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">A large section of
Kiran’s class consists of children whose parents don’t have a steady source of
income. To make ends meet they work odd jobs – mostly as manual labourers.
Kiran made a list of students who came from such homes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">As the donated
books started coming in Kiran let the more deserving children know that they
could use the books from her book bank free of cost. Her two conditions: that
they take care of the books as if they were their own, and that they return
them to her at the end of the term.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Kiran first
‘tested’ her social action project in April, and nearly 60 students were able
to make use of the books provided by Kiran. According to Kiran parents who rely
on daily wages to get by this was an added bonus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">When asked about
her plans for the project, Kiran replies: </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I have decided to do this activity every year collect
books from last batch and provide to next batch. Through this more than 100
students can get benefit from my book bank”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-39311469847202080822012-10-09T01:27:00.000-07:002012-10-09T01:30:57.273-07:00Opening closed doors – Active Citizens in Thatta help two feuding tribes find common ground in education <b><span style="font-family: Arial;">A community divided</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">The inhabitants of Daggar
Khan Palari Taluka – a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">small village in
Sindh</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">can be roughly divided into two
tribes. Although members of the two tribes have inhabited the same village for
a number of years, their coexistence has been less than harmonious.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The community members
reached a point where they minimized their interaction as much as possible:
there were no joint community events and no shared celebrations for a number of
years. The estrangement left no one untouched – including children and young
people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">A tale of two schools<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The village had two public
schools for children before they were shut down. As time went by and grievances
remained unresolved the village folk forbade their children to mix or even
share the same school. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Due to negligence of the
local education authorities both schools suffered. Structural damage and lack
of facilities did not stop the village folk from sending their children to
school but it was the loss of teaching staff that finally put the breaks on the
learning. Both schools were shut down in 2007.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">With the passage of time
both schools turned into rundown, vacant buildings with peeling paint and windows
with shattered glass. The nearest school was in a village more than 5
kilometers away. In the absence of a school to go to children helped their parents
in day-to-day chores.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">A helping hand<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">After completing their
Active Citizens training Babar and Tanveer wished to start a Social Action
Project that would address the problem of ghost schools – a major concern in
rural Sindh. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They surveyed the nearby
villages and stumbled upon the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">village</st1:placetype>
of <st1:placename w:st="on">Daggar Khan Palari Taluka</st1:placename></st1:place>
– a community with not one but two abandoned schools. They talked to the local
Education District Officer (EDO) and brought the matter to his attention. After
a few meetings the <st1:place w:st="on">EDO</st1:place> arranged a survey of
both school buildings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Monsoons had left the roof
of one of the schools in very bad shape and the building was deemed too
dangerous to use. The second school building was in relatively better shape and
the <st1:place w:st="on">EDO</st1:place> agreed to arrange teaching staff for
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtcJIzKbXf8SdIsuVKXCRVXjzWtAgHMcZupw9k0rUxoDebAd3JKq7mJ-aRtZF3ft1k4zUDd0Eubct7Dnnpj-6qyRVoEovdd5g9rb23tXYifA8MvnQpsLbrhSdYXdioeUENFi_JL6EUcob6/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtcJIzKbXf8SdIsuVKXCRVXjzWtAgHMcZupw9k0rUxoDebAd3JKq7mJ-aRtZF3ft1k4zUDd0Eubct7Dnnpj-6qyRVoEovdd5g9rb23tXYifA8MvnQpsLbrhSdYXdioeUENFi_JL6EUcob6/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Resistance<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">To their surprise Babar and
Tanveer faced stiff resistance from the community they were trying to help. The
demand of the community members: either reopen both schools or neither.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Refusing to abandon the
progress they had made with the education department the young Active Citizens
talked to members of the two tribes in hopes of starting a dialogue between
them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Let’s talk<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">“We asked them to give the idea of a single school a
chance for the sake of their children”<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Getting the two parties to
talk seemed to be an uphill task at first. One thing in common people from both
tribes though was the love of their children: all parents want to see their
children do well. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Babar and Tanveer convinced
to sit down and talk about finding ways to secure a better future for their
children – a future with more opportunities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Through these talks the two
young people helped the community members to realise that some opportunities remain
out of reach without formal education. “We asked them to give the idea of a
single school a chance for the sake of their children” says Tanveer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">After much discussion the
parent of out of school children agreed to one school for their children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">New beginnings<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">With the help of the
residents of the village and the education department staff Babar and Tanveer
helped clean up the school building. Within a week the school building was
ready to be used again. The <st1:place w:st="on">EDO</st1:place>’s office also provided
300 – 400 text books free of cost for the students.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Babar and Tanveer
volunteered their time to brush up the students’ basic skills. A young person
from the village with a high school degree also showed interest in teaching and
soon joined Babar and Tanveer in teaching the eager students. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Now the school has a regular
appointed teacher and the enrollment has crossed sixty students. with nearly
60% male and 40%female students and their ages range from 7 years to 11 years. Babar
and Tanveer visit the school regularly to see if it is operating smoothly and
to offer their help if needed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCD-kflr1GVfjbI5-U0m9MzjWNSLXaocDYXmS2pcox5AujChk9Iwe3IiX_V8jgp4oDeSsWiUmiQt_NF_lp5yuy9DN8YU-qjkQ-fZ6cu0_O6BWKTj5FbAp2GPS8xnVOvTySisCDsDxlRD2/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCD-kflr1GVfjbI5-U0m9MzjWNSLXaocDYXmS2pcox5AujChk9Iwe3IiX_V8jgp4oDeSsWiUmiQt_NF_lp5yuy9DN8YU-qjkQ-fZ6cu0_O6BWKTj5FbAp2GPS8xnVOvTySisCDsDxlRD2/s200/3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJdcX9qJsSwmCzE94KYd1mNLbDxVbUZ7-te0F8GQiysHY2M6dulyrjK145A8Csbt4menhPk8x9sGuLspdVrxI_xHjh0SLDyZIJ8cXIza1KL3Cp5UMXqGECZ_-qN0PS4PavTHorQWAY8y0/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJdcX9qJsSwmCzE94KYd1mNLbDxVbUZ7-te0F8GQiysHY2M6dulyrjK145A8Csbt4menhPk8x9sGuLspdVrxI_xHjh0SLDyZIJ8cXIza1KL3Cp5UMXqGECZ_-qN0PS4PavTHorQWAY8y0/s200/4.jpg" width="200" /></a>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-64091722013821307242012-10-01T02:06:00.001-07:002012-10-01T02:09:22.060-07:00The power of dialogue – Active Citizens facilitate health care in Mehmood Kot <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">As the 4-day Active Citizens workshop
neared its end and the time came to propose a social action project to help resolve
an issue that his community was facing, Talha Hassan spent no time in picking
health care. </span>Mehmood Kot is a small town in the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Multan</st1:place></st1:city> district with one Basic Health Unit (BHU) facility for the provision of health care to the community members at a low cost.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGAh49td05fRZ54_bqXQTmtoW8Y1GMFKdjyWx91eKAiepSvrbGiw6wVtsgMz1X5win-XkQ8iYCg60B3zHFH3F_X0XUcUbUm7vJXBoQTECBFf3AZYSC25r5iK8X-yN_Doiu46UoGo3xcGh/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGAh49td05fRZ54_bqXQTmtoW8Y1GMFKdjyWx91eKAiepSvrbGiw6wVtsgMz1X5win-XkQ8iYCg60B3zHFH3F_X0XUcUbUm7vJXBoQTECBFf3AZYSC25r5iK8X-yN_Doiu46UoGo3xcGh/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">A
modest affair <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Mehmood Kot's Basic Health Unit is a modest affair with limited staff and a small dispensary. The
bigger medical facility, the District Health Unit (DHU) is a considerable
distance away. There are a number of private clinics in the town though which
treat the bulk of the medical cases.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhrc2epi0NO85r3FY3T1f_RosUftDyEZfuCom1qu6VNZUdUSRMuMyuV2jR4WGGeH6a-83NvA7tASyFmMkxl07lzKIR-Mfm8XziT9pnWAN0oKpZS04SUkRbGg0FKI2w6cyy-sjjPXIMUKr/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhrc2epi0NO85r3FY3T1f_RosUftDyEZfuCom1qu6VNZUdUSRMuMyuV2jR4WGGeH6a-83NvA7tASyFmMkxl07lzKIR-Mfm8XziT9pnWAN0oKpZS04SUkRbGg0FKI2w6cyy-sjjPXIMUKr/s320/2.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhrc2epi0NO85r3FY3T1f_RosUftDyEZfuCom1qu6VNZUdUSRMuMyuV2jR4WGGeH6a-83NvA7tASyFmMkxl07lzKIR-Mfm8XziT9pnWAN0oKpZS04SUkRbGg0FKI2w6cyy-sjjPXIMUKr/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB">Over the years Talha noticed that the dispensary
had assumed a more symbolic role a functional one: on some days the medical
staff did not show up, and when they did their work hours were erratic. As a
result most of the townspeople had no choice but to consult doctors running
private clinics. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This is a costlier option for the residents of Mehmood Kot,
most of who depend on a modest source of income to get them through the month.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hence over the years the utility of the
Basic Health Unit was reduced to a place where cheap medicine could be bought.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Shaking
things up<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Talha and his youth group resolved to
change this perception of their community. They wanted members of the community
to receive the care they deserved at the BHU. And so they started a two pronged
dialogue campaign: they met with community members in a door-to-door campaign
to talk about the provision of their basic health rights; and they met the health
care staff at the BHU to discuss professional duties that they were neglecting.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">In this way the young Active Citizens were
successful in starting a dialogue between the residents of Mehmood Kot and the
health care staff at the BHU. The result of these meetings was that the health
care staff resolved to fulfil their duties and to extend all possible help to
the townspeople. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Keeping
Score<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEVHAdiL-NGiU7nkheQ6j17dhl2EwP6ZngFmKEcsQRH6-Rv4iptv-UFkcUzg253YFsj610XwtPa24cAZ_YteTnndB3RNiSSX05OcFFBxKgRMtkrZXSCcde58KUs4XhB0gCwa0vMjMrKuh/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEVHAdiL-NGiU7nkheQ6j17dhl2EwP6ZngFmKEcsQRH6-Rv4iptv-UFkcUzg253YFsj610XwtPa24cAZ_YteTnndB3RNiSSX05OcFFBxKgRMtkrZXSCcde58KUs4XhB0gCwa0vMjMrKuh/s320/3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">To make sure that the BHU staff would make
good on their promise and things would not slip back to a similar situation
Talha’s youth group formed a committee to monitor the work of the health care
staff voluntarily. This committee comprised of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Imam </i>of a local mosque, a social and political activist, and two
Active Citizens from Talha’s youth group.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">This committee pays regular visits to the
Basic Health Unit and they report much improved staff attendance. </span></div>
Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-71857496923326875312012-09-18T00:18:00.004-07:002012-09-18T00:18:33.298-07:00Mentoring greatness<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Asma Farhad
teaches at a popular university in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Lahore</st1:city></st1:place>.
When discussing the state of education in <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country> and how it can be transformed,
Aasma’s passion for education shines trough: “</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">As an academic, I believe reforms alone cannot provide a solution, our
education system rather requires a whole new revolution. I resolve to introduce
a novel learning experience to those who need education most”.</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5oPcJNkro-hsYktrLoqjcrUZJFBJxjWWsbACbGsOA6zlUiKrcuDnbA6cosIA780Mr78bAoyxZU8rp13dQPp20yPdqzkcFGzl9Tuiiazh_fJDiyLTrROXxqDcOXG_btYXipMRnwBR0PeO/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5oPcJNkro-hsYktrLoqjcrUZJFBJxjWWsbACbGsOA6zlUiKrcuDnbA6cosIA780Mr78bAoyxZU8rp13dQPp20yPdqzkcFGzl9Tuiiazh_fJDiyLTrROXxqDcOXG_btYXipMRnwBR0PeO/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Recently
Aasma helped her students renovate a computer lab for less privileged young
people. With the help of cash donations they also refurbished the faulty
equipment. A brief description of the project supplied by Aasma:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">We ran a
pilot project in the <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Central Punjab</st1:placename>, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lahore</st1:place></st1:city></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
in August 2012, and experimented with the semi-literate children from slums and
very poor economic back ground. Ranging from 8 to 13 years, all these children
attended a six days long workshop on using computers as an e-learning tool. To
our surprise children who could not even spell their names perfectly were able
to use Google search, Google translator, find and play educational games and
videos and learnt from them, entered correct URLs, receive and send emails too.
That too in just six days!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsse5IKHyd2UZGaVnSDdsjFSBincbeqig0NnopVmj9GWbbF6YFpati5afCw7SRFR0J_mzrFtdDoNcbmcK3lVQoiAmwkXcX74e2Kr2sCu6R8zGFQIoSV5z7HP9-1YXL9voULlzH7vIDDllc/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsse5IKHyd2UZGaVnSDdsjFSBincbeqig0NnopVmj9GWbbF6YFpati5afCw7SRFR0J_mzrFtdDoNcbmcK3lVQoiAmwkXcX74e2Kr2sCu6R8zGFQIoSV5z7HP9-1YXL9voULlzH7vIDDllc/s320/3.jpg" width="240" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: 15px;">We also observed that these children did not only
enjoy learning, they were stimulated to learn more and often preferred to work
independently. This made us work more seriously towards our second goal i.e. to
provide free of cost computer and internet access to these children.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">For this, our
group initiated “donate a computer” drive. We discussed with our friends,
family and acquaintances to donate old used computer CPUs, monitors, mouse,
wires and key boards. We learnt about an institution in <st1:placename w:st="on">Iqbal</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Town</st1:placetype>, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lahore</st1:place></st1:city> through a friend that provides free of
cost education to children with very weak economic back ground. Upon meeting
them we learnt that their abandoned computer lab had a few computers lying
there.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Our
volunteers renovated the lab, repaired old computers, replaced worn out spare
parts with the workable ones. The lab is now operational and continues
broadening horizons for the young fellows studying there.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span></div>
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Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-65381867710376072662012-09-09T23:14:00.000-07:002012-09-09T23:14:34.677-07:00Education for all – turning a dream into a reality<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Luqman Elahi lives in district Layyah – backward area of
<st1:place w:st="on">Punjab</st1:place>. 70% of the district is rural where a feudal
social system of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sardars</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">jageerdars</i> prevails. Enrollment in the
local schools is low; poverty plays the biggest role in the schools lack
facilities. Ghost schools are a common phenomenon and are mostly used as ‘bhanas
‘(the place where the livestock is penned). Those who are willing to spend
money to see their children educated face other obstacles: landlords who
discourage education. Luqman chose to work as a youth activist for the development
of his area and to help educate the residents of Layyah. He believes that this
is possible only through awareness of the benefits of education. Says Luqman: “I
will educate them about necessity of education”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Luqman met different families during his door-to-door
awareness campaign. He talked to parents about <a href="http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/9822/know-your-rights-ilmpossible/">Article
25a </a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and how the dream of an educated
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country></st1:place>
can now be turned into a reality. Luqman discovered that most parents of wanted
to educate their children and had hopes for a better future for them – different
lives than the ones they lead. The failure to pay the high fee – often to ghost
schools is the main reason due to which they chose not to enroll their children
in school. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">When asked how he would address these challenges,
Luqman replied: “I chose to work on admitting underprivileged children in a
private school. I knew that it was challenging owing to the fact that they
couldn’t afford to pay the high fees on their own”. Luqman met the principal of
a local private school to discuss this problem. In the principal he found a kindred
spirit who agreed to admit students to his school without charging them any fee
for one whole year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Luqman is not only generous with his time, but does
not hold back in spending his money for the all important cause of education: “I
managed to pay for their uniform cost but I am looking for sponsors to support
the cost of books, stationery for admitted students” he says. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">Thanks to the efforts of Luqman, 33 children
from his community now attend classes regularly without worrying about paying a
fee for them for a year.</span></div>
Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-26539794827167302462012-08-08T04:42:00.003-07:002012-08-08T04:42:59.786-07:00Beneath the Surface<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">While 2011
saw excessive torrential rain all over <st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country> that resulted in floods
that caused wide placed damage and displaced many people, this year the monsoon
rains have been well below the level needed to irrigate fields, and fill
natural water bodies and man made dams to serviceable levels. This shortage of
rain spells disaster, and what looms now is the danger of a drought. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">When it
comes to needs and wants the people living in Dera Ghazi Khan are no different
from people inhabiting the many villages and towns of Pakistan who depend upon natural
water sources such as streams and rivers for their daily need. Naturally
without seasonal rains these rivers and streams can not fulfill the needs of
the people dependent upon them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSEheacMKv-T66BKdh8XbBnlN9tPU_wg0Pi6KnIbTr9vCqrtGkiERG37UBojQ7BnG2atba0Mim-43CwlYW5ZFFFdD17j1C6duO3TF3vNtJM2F9M8lG7Xyj9jkKpcx0ef2yL6kgWPLzDa-/s1600/image006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSEheacMKv-T66BKdh8XbBnlN9tPU_wg0Pi6KnIbTr9vCqrtGkiERG37UBojQ7BnG2atba0Mim-43CwlYW5ZFFFdD17j1C6duO3TF3vNtJM2F9M8lG7Xyj9jkKpcx0ef2yL6kgWPLzDa-/s320/image006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px;">Mahrab Khan
is a resident of 'Chooti', a remote area of the Dera Ghazi Khan district. Growing
up in Chooti Mehrab was acutely aware of the local community’s needs and after
attending an Active Citizens training course his awareness gained focus. Mahrab
decided that the most immediate need that his community members was the
availability of water. He therefore decided to design a Social Action Project
around the provision of water to the various small localities called 'bastees'
in the area. Mahrab teamed up with two other Active Citizens: Mr. Ali Abbas and
Mr. Kumail to start work on the project.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">The group members
pooled in their resources to fund the digging of underground water holes in
these areas. Ten workers were hired to help them dig these wells. Wells have
always been a traditional and cheap method of providing clean water to remote
areas, where no other water source is available. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2UARKvY8FlEPguVWUyQDlyOBT1QNS125mh1-T0VE0g6RgaVmx19vLhXZiHpQOHWBo9exo64gXY0F1afFE6UliswJ0d99pPmUHPNi3xGOPFISnxo8lFmvXQxDc7tuPmOhJlx3m_nKhyphenhyphenIx/s1600/image005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2UARKvY8FlEPguVWUyQDlyOBT1QNS125mh1-T0VE0g6RgaVmx19vLhXZiHpQOHWBo9exo64gXY0F1afFE6UliswJ0d99pPmUHPNi3xGOPFISnxo8lFmvXQxDc7tuPmOhJlx3m_nKhyphenhyphenIx/s320/image005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;">In some
places they found drinking water at 140 ft while at other spots they had to dig
as deep as 300 ft. The group has also installed taps in some of these water
sources in order to make it easier for people to collect water. The group has
so far been successful in digging 5 wells, where each well provided access to
clean water to 25 – 30 localities. They have also initiated the same activity
in other areas so that more people can benefit from their Social Action Project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-38777915513774528562012-07-11T05:44:00.002-07:002012-07-11T05:44:16.904-07:00Prevention through Awareness<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There are certain things
that we associate with the summer season. For people living in colder areas
there is the promise of warm, lazy days; for people who live in a warm climate
it means that their days will only get warmer and longer. In <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region></st1:place></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> we have come to associate
newer and less pleasant things of late: the monsoon rains that will flood
fields of farmers and drive people from their homes, and the return of the
dreaded dengue fever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAkpWpiZnZmW7mwXbwKV6YuSkxx9MNqndr-xNFH3QAvcO0nsRZUBPvSAVBtdGZWMnpLdk4LUm-P1Yh_X4aKQ8kbwtwxvvlLsNBIMpQ6lYkkwA9HHABTsnjnrzKAy8wgFc7aEIVQA0lv9M0/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAkpWpiZnZmW7mwXbwKV6YuSkxx9MNqndr-xNFH3QAvcO0nsRZUBPvSAVBtdGZWMnpLdk4LUm-P1Yh_X4aKQ8kbwtwxvvlLsNBIMpQ6lYkkwA9HHABTsnjnrzKAy8wgFc7aEIVQA0lv9M0/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Each dengue epidemic in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region> has
been worse than the previous one: more than 300 people lost their lives to the
dengue virus and more than 14,000 were affected by it in 2011. A group of young
people fresh out of an Active Citizens training teamed together to launch a
dengue awareness campaign targeted at young people and children in Lahore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5K0aP5ywvQiyoUSM6QwzXym-zzvJrAjR-8jdWu6ni9QPC3kQjIkXXGSdtlMTHjLraGlLMv2p-MZkTq26mbUyPOpypWN3771kBP-mnmnhgxYEhETCXa7rdXN56I1bHfNCV4Y4418re7z3P/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5K0aP5ywvQiyoUSM6QwzXym-zzvJrAjR-8jdWu6ni9QPC3kQjIkXXGSdtlMTHjLraGlLMv2p-MZkTq26mbUyPOpypWN3771kBP-mnmnhgxYEhETCXa7rdXN56I1bHfNCV4Y4418re7z3P/s1600/3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The first part of the
project was rolled out at the Punjab University Laboratory school in April this
year. Group members briefed the students on the dengue virus, its symptoms, how
it can be transmitted, and what precautionary measures to use. The students
were also added to the discussion their knowledge on the subject, and stories
and jokes. At the conclusion of the activity flyers were distributed among the
students who were encouraged to spread the awareness on the deadly disease.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In May the group held an
awareness campaign at the Pakistan Society for the Rehabilitation of the
Disabled (PSRD). Along with information about the virus and precautionary
measures, a drawing competition was also arranged for children at the rehabilitation
centre. Children enrolled in therapy sessions at the centre also participated
with quotes, stories, and songs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The efforts of the group
did not stop here; they held similar interactive awareness sessions at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nasheman</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dar-ul-Mussarat</i> – both institutes for people living with mental and physical disabilities. At both institutes they were welcomed with enthusiasm. Says one
group member: “we went to make these children aware of how to save a life, but (instead)
we learnt from them that how to live a life”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw19IpTCT-3rvkk7DV0XtVPAlPOYYxnX9fAtdWKLBOKU2knGhoSRNVPxpk-fUB6R6uEQhYqUm3d1Xa0KdyTPMgZ-zp4CjF8CKhvEtfXl111kQWSe-XMKQOaWx0Fza8_yhyphenhyphenYtfG1Amti22C/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw19IpTCT-3rvkk7DV0XtVPAlPOYYxnX9fAtdWKLBOKU2knGhoSRNVPxpk-fUB6R6uEQhYqUm3d1Xa0KdyTPMgZ-zp4CjF8CKhvEtfXl111kQWSe-XMKQOaWx0Fza8_yhyphenhyphenYtfG1Amti22C/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-5601957685539461242012-07-02T03:08:00.000-07:002012-07-02T04:31:39.849-07:00Active Citizens - partnering for stronger communities<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">A life-time’s
learning can sometimes be condensed into a sentence or two. The ancient Chinese
philosopher Lao Tzu did just that when he uttered words to the effect: “Give a
man a fish; feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish; feed him for a
lifetime".</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnKhCaO5mpO8WJWQLF1dOembxYLCTfWHrRbAgTE1CuHHZNGDTKGeTPzMfEBQ704K2D9GeQbA1wmqG6uxB9f-U1nNtFYrzseEk7q-mRzQ67uabaAm9z4iSuzDa04PjqxaTuyqlneErSt6D/s1600/image007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnKhCaO5mpO8WJWQLF1dOembxYLCTfWHrRbAgTE1CuHHZNGDTKGeTPzMfEBQ704K2D9GeQbA1wmqG6uxB9f-U1nNtFYrzseEk7q-mRzQ67uabaAm9z4iSuzDa04PjqxaTuyqlneErSt6D/s320/image007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">This line of thinking
is just as relevant today as it was many centuries ago. Helping someone by
providing them with money or food or shelter – although commendable – is not a
long-term solution. By providing someone in need with the means to earn a
living not only enables them to provide for themselves but it also has a
positive effect on their morale and self-esteem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:placename w:st="on"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">Green</span></st1:placename><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Town</st1:placetype> is a residential area of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lahore</st1:place></st1:city> with a high rate
of unemployment and a low education rate. The residents of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Green</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Town</st1:placetype></st1:place>
by and large live in poverty, and putting food on the table regularly is a
struggle for most.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">Shumaila Naaz is a
professor in the Management Sciences department of the <st1:placename w:st="on">Superior</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype> in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lahore</st1:place></st1:city>. Shumaila teaches a course on community
development which includes an end-of-semester project that students need to
complete to pass the course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">To help her
students gain a better understanding of how their efforts – no matter how small
– to make their communities a better place to live can have far reaching
effects, Shumaila organised an Active Citizens training workshop with the help
of <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ChananDevelopmentAssociation/info">Chanan
Development Association</a> (CDA) – an Active Citizens partner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">After they were
done with the training, a group of her students came up with a formal plan to
help women in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Green</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Town</st1:placetype></st1:place> earn a living and
provide for their families. Their proposal? To raise money to fund the purchase
of sewing machines for the women of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Green</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Town</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">The women selected
by the group fall into certain categories: women who are widowed; women who are
divorced; and women whose spouses live with disability. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">The proposed
project also had a personal significance for one of the members who has lived
in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Green</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Town</st1:placetype></st1:place> for more than 11 years but has
never lost hope for better days for his community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">The students were
able to raise Rs. 75,000 by reaching out to donors with the help of a well
thought-out project proposal and an effective communications campaign which
included the distribution of pamphlets, and a door-to-door campaign. With these
funds they purchased 17 sewing machines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4s2bscXQNxCK6mv-3Z_9I3CT0MN6_ESV-qgsjmQm0oz95_lcpSZrnyqbu-kb9fiPHHMFfd1RLhMeRvIyQXAzPucil4bIoOw26srDzvm5XVLovYWEYlm1Up2bxE2FBoeI3m3FZKVKp8Vm/s1600/image009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4s2bscXQNxCK6mv-3Z_9I3CT0MN6_ESV-qgsjmQm0oz95_lcpSZrnyqbu-kb9fiPHHMFfd1RLhMeRvIyQXAzPucil4bIoOw26srDzvm5XVLovYWEYlm1Up2bxE2FBoeI3m3FZKVKp8Vm/s320/image009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">To ensure that the
sewing machines would not be resold the group members attached a condition with
their distribution: the women who would receive the machines would pay a fee of
Rs. 250 to the group each month. In this way the recipients would gain
ownership of the sewing machines and through the fees collected the group would
be able to finance more sewing machines for other deserving candidates. In
short a win-win situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">A distribution
ceremony for the machines was arranged by the group at a local high school of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Green</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Town</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
A large number of the residents attended the event and praised the Active
Citizens for coming up with this clever yet simple plan to strengthen a
community that gave its members the tools to be more self-reliant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-52664816171803617082012-06-06T00:13:00.000-07:002012-06-06T02:58:30.564-07:00On the challenges of intercultural dialogue<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><i></i></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"></span></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">James Edleston has been Head of International at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.byc.org.uk/">BYC</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>since 2009, before which he worked as
a Youth Programme Manager at Think Global (previously DEA). His role at
BYC involves supporting youth representation, global campaigns and projects,
intercultural learning and action, global youth work and European and
international policy.</span></i></span></i></div>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">
</span></i><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></i></span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Here he talks about his experience of
working with the Active Citizens programme for the promotion and development of
intercultural dialogue in South Asian countries.</span></i></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">
</span></i><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Could
you highlight your experience working with people in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Bangladesh</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region>, and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region></st1:place> in terms of intercultural
dialogue?</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">A special feature of the programme is that
people can reflect on their place in their community (before they engage in
dialogue). Dialogue can be a dangerous thing. You can’t just sit in a circle
and talk.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The Active Citizens Programme has two
parallel goals. The idea of the programme from the very start was that there
were two distinct aims. One was about building trust and understanding, and the
other was about community action…let’s say, ‘sustainable development’...social
action for positive change. And these two things were seen as mutually
reinforcing. That by building trust and understanding we can work together to
change our community for the better, but by working together we also build our
trust and understanding, and bring our communities close together and live in a
more peaceful way.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So this was kind of the conception…the core
of it, and that’s why these two parallel aims have always been there. Every
time we write the vision, it’s got something to do with peace, or trust, or
coexistence. And the other one is about community development or sustainable
development, or social action. There are always these two things. And that is
sort of the vision. It’s about understanding each other first, it’s about the
belief in every individual to be able to make a change, it’s about the power of
working together to create new solutions. These are all principles, and
everything we do fits between these two elements.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Giving a space to people in a programme
that can be very technical is really important. We spend a of time on
investment in the initial stages (of the programme) – understanding ourselves,
our motivations, how we interact with others, the way we work in our
communities, what we think about things, what we believe, what we want for the future.
We invest quite heavily in that. And that’s I think, one of the reasons why it
spreads quickly and engages people; and people give a lot of voluntary time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">In areas where there is serious conflict,
like every-day insecurity, people engage quickly in the vision of a more
peaceful coexistence. In a place like <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region></st1:place>, I guess it resonates with
people who experience these things every day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Just
about your own experience with meeting people from South Asian countries like
Pakistan, how do you think intercultural dialogue has taken place between you
and facilitators you have met over the past three years?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I have learnt probably a lot more than I have
shared from this programme, and that’s because we have been able to bring
together people from all over the country with completely different
perspectives, and that’s one thing that I feel is a strength.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">In the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region> issues of class, and status, and
power, and wealth are more obvious because it is the country I was brought up
in; it’s not so obvious (for me) here. But it does seem that the people that
Active Citizens engages are quite diverse. I have definitely engaged people
with very, very different perspectives, and people who I really respect have
some times very challenging views for me. So I have to engage in the process
myself; I have to engage in dialogue with participants myself and put my
assumptions on hold; (I have to) engage in very deep questioning where I am
challenged to think all that kind of stuff. So I’m learning more about
intercultural dialogue by being here. It’s learning by doing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">What
have you learned about intercultural dialogue?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Being forced to live those principles, and live
the way we think the way we should interact is a challenge. It helps because we
have to understand all the challenges that the Active Citizens face when they
do the work.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">What
challenges does intercultural dialogue face in this region and what inherent
strengths does it possess (to overcome them) and flourish?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">There is an assumption that when we say
‘intercultural dialogue’ there are two cultures that we can see – provincial,
or tribal or a country. But it goes deeper than that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The challenge for intercultural dialogue is
how it’s done. There is a danger that it can be superficial. One real challenge
is that it is much easier to bring together people in a dialogue who obviously
belong to different cultures but share the same economic status, or have wealth,
are well travelled, have been to a university…that’s quite easy. In any country
of the world you can bring well travelled, well educated people together, and
have a good conversation. Sometimes this is easier than bringing together
people with a different status or some other subtle difference.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">So that is really a challenge: where can
intercultural dialogue be most effective and who with, and not to be content
with taking the easy road. What do we call good quality intercultural dialogue?
What outcomes are we looking for? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">People resist dialogue because they think
that it is a danger to their identity and culture. There is going to be
resistance to any externally organized process that gets people talking. There
is always going to be suspicion, and that is a definite challenge.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">There are dangers too in bringing people
together. If there is underlying tension and conflict, then it can be a very
dangerous and explosive situation. If it’s not well managed then it can make
things worse.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">**<i>James Edleston was speaking with Younus Khan and Sadia Rahman **</i> </span></div>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-61393397161607774212012-05-29T05:44:00.000-07:002012-07-18T00:40:19.113-07:00Getting the ball rolling<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are some things that have become
associated with Balochistan of late; most of them unpleasant. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Quetta</st1:place></st1:city>, the capital of Balochistan, even with
its wide open spaces and tough terrain was once regarded as a melting pot of
different ethnicities, cultures, and religions. Other images that the name ‘<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Quetta</st1:place></st1:city>’ conjured up were
a laid back lifestyle, hospitable people, apple orchards, and bustling market
places famed for their selection of nuts and dried fruit. In the summers <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Quetta</st1:place></st1:city> also served as a base
for families vacationing in the not-too-far hill-top resort, Ziarat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqVkrbJpB6RBYkclif8N1yL2c4AJwnOjSPb6Z07T2bLYFVOijhIxZh2RLtzUy95C8SMNzt8r0GC5Fpc4fZl6yUwETVDbkKBEKdSFykl2PnAHsb05D6UucX7ZBFvaNYeHhHqAx0SJQ4BsC/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqVkrbJpB6RBYkclif8N1yL2c4AJwnOjSPb6Z07T2bLYFVOijhIxZh2RLtzUy95C8SMNzt8r0GC5Fpc4fZl6yUwETVDbkKBEKdSFykl2PnAHsb05D6UucX7ZBFvaNYeHhHqAx0SJQ4BsC/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Sadly,
a few of the things that come to mind nowadays when one hears ‘Quetta’ are
ethnic and religious divisions, organised violence, acts of terror, and
mysterious abductions. Not too surprisingly the general consensus for visiting <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Quetta</st1:place></st1:city> is: avoid if
possible. But closing one’s eyes does not make a problem go away. Some people
are relocating from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Quetta</st1:place></st1:city>
but most people will stay – regardless to the extent the situation deteriorates
to. These persons of different ethnicities and subscribing to different faiths
have lived in the same city for generations and will hopefully find a way to
live together in harmony for many, many years to come.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Empathy is the essential ingredient for –
not merely existing in the same place peacefully – but more importantly to help
members of different communities understand one another better and to form
relationships with one another. It is hard to empathize in dangerous and
unstable times, but this is when it is needed the most. This point was brought
home by a group of young people from the city who celebrated diversity and
harmony through sports.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Shanti Nagar is an area of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Quetta</st1:place></st1:city> which has been historically inhabited
by the Hindu population of the city. A stream and a watering station divide
Shanti Nagar from the nearest Muslim settlement. Both communities have had an
arrangement for years by which they share the watering station to replenish
their water supplies. Tension existed though because of the waste disposed off
into the stream. Since the Muslim area is located downstream, most of the trash
found its way there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWou8kOkpGLTFG4xMiwiBS6YjyFmyRMY7Z3lw_xL9vejNuqSyIuizo_nMc4W4V47-0dOBr90bc11jcSSHWbwHrOWy9FY7m3v4RJjnaprA3-MG_7ki31XtIQbaulJsy02bN6VyYOkWSn8-k/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWou8kOkpGLTFG4xMiwiBS6YjyFmyRMY7Z3lw_xL9vejNuqSyIuizo_nMc4W4V47-0dOBr90bc11jcSSHWbwHrOWy9FY7m3v4RJjnaprA3-MG_7ki31XtIQbaulJsy02bN6VyYOkWSn8-k/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">With
time as the levels of pollution in the stream rose tensions turned into a
debate, followed by accusations and finger pointing when no mutually acceptable
solution could be agreed upon. The standoff reached the tipping point when the
elders of the Muslim <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">jirga</i> – a
traditional tribal council whose decision is considered unquestionable – hinted
at blocking off access to the stream and the watering area.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">The solution to the looming crisis came
from a group of young people in the most unexpected form. It is not uncommon
for young people from both communities – young and old to form friendships. A
group of friends comprising both Muslims and Hindus had also attended an Active
Citizens training together. They grasped this as the ideal situation to put
their training to the test. They put their heads together to come up with a way
to encourage constructive dialogue in a friendly atmosphere. They reached the
conclusion that to encourage members of both communities to start talking again
some sort of positive interaction was needed. One such positive form of
interaction they decided was sports.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Quickly two teams from both communities
were put together to participate in a friendly football match. All arrangements
were taken care of by the funds pooled together by the group of young Active
Citizens. Community members were invited to attend the match free of cost and
the total turnout on the day of the match was approximately 150 people. At the
conclusion of the match elders from both communities were honoured, and young
people from both teams spoke about the important role that dialogue plays in
resolving conflict.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">As a direct consequence of the efforts of
these young people influencers from both communities resolved to clean up the
stream and to help finance the building of a proper drainage facility. Within
two weeks the stream was much cleaner and proper drains were built. Proper
waste disposal has not been a topic of argument between these two communities
since. Several football matches have been played though.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgdh4gj1Y99BtcsiVfRp2XYf8_LNIE6kJ5WROA1dWVAotSBLLz1ZU0BxmjQ9qlTpQ3aN342CHKekDY-CiTYc9ow1boJ4e7y0fpIV1iO3EyEby_-xUGyqsgsV7Q9LVyKG-mgsJhzXk3PyA/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgdh4gj1Y99BtcsiVfRp2XYf8_LNIE6kJ5WROA1dWVAotSBLLz1ZU0BxmjQ9qlTpQ3aN342CHKekDY-CiTYc9ow1boJ4e7y0fpIV1iO3EyEby_-xUGyqsgsV7Q9LVyKG-mgsJhzXk3PyA/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-11969402355867267212012-05-24T05:11:00.002-07:002012-07-02T04:59:11.060-07:00How to save a life<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">Ubaid Malik is a
resident of Pind Dadan Khan – a town not too far from the hauntingly
picturesque salt mines of Khewra. Although Pind Dadan khan lies at a distance
of only 200 Kilometres from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Islamabad</st1:place></st1:city>
the atmosphere that prevails there is predominantly rural. Growing up in Pind
Dadan Khan Ubaid witnessed first-hand the unjust and discriminatory practices
that are woven into the rural fabric. “I grew up in a place which is unmatched
in backwardness of thought and where a high level of illiteracy prevails” says
Ubaid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJHSAGRUNeH8qYM2js43dqD7rNAE00AINK5FghRTTxpo9ou5Y8D31Ko0baGKZke4XJClJggf9mB61OqurOhitPX20r-fVB05nVki0dJhmRNjsBipKrN1hxoCcncn0w4NHsoO5lTTR151F/s1600/254447_218639778156157_100000304093195_761626_6803738_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJHSAGRUNeH8qYM2js43dqD7rNAE00AINK5FghRTTxpo9ou5Y8D31Ko0baGKZke4XJClJggf9mB61OqurOhitPX20r-fVB05nVki0dJhmRNjsBipKrN1hxoCcncn0w4NHsoO5lTTR151F/s320/254447_218639778156157_100000304093195_761626_6803738_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">An unfortunate
reality that is part and parcel of the rural life is the high mortality rate
due to inadequate medical facilities, especially true for women – a fact that
Ubaid refused to accept. In search of ways to improve the deplorable medical
facilities he approached several community leaders, but instead of
encouragement he mostly found disinterest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">Refusing to give
up Ubaid found his way to an Active Citizens training organised by a partner
organization of the British Council. Here he got an opportunity to polish his skills
for starting fruitful dialogue and involving others in the struggle to achieve
mutual goals. Most importantly though he formed lasting friendships with other
like-minded young people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">With a strengthened
belief in his abilities Ubaid approached the problem anew. He convinced a few of
his friends to join his cause, and together they came up with a brilliant idea
to help members of their community: a database of blood types. Says one group
member: “although we did not have sufficient resources for to set up a proper blood
bank, but we though that at least we could compile a record of people and their
blood groups”. The thought behind this was the high number of people that pass
away because they did not receive a blood transfusion in time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">The young people
made contact with the local health department and pitched their idea to them.
Their response? The concerned officials agreed to lend the youth group – dubbed
the Active Involvement and Motivation (AIM) youth group – the services of two
members of the medical staff for a fee of Rs. 1,000 for each blood group awareness
camp they organised. After following this model a few of times the
youth group began to feel the inevitable brunt of bearing the expenses.
According to Ubaid: “we quickly came to realize that we could not continue to
set up these camps (using our own resources)…not for the number of people we
wanted to reach”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwM2SMorGjSSGNq1g1-2jo4YVB2XtU-5VO3F2iHeEN0fRFDcU-ZgThM9HENtsM6qxMxEafdN6UXisOdxtl__U-S8EZdxNl_b-KpB9rQsN3Ak1nIrVqYVq7zll_X5ABfcCd59Ia5cti_zDh/s1600/254819_218639664822835_100000304093195_761624_1810765_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwM2SMorGjSSGNq1g1-2jo4YVB2XtU-5VO3F2iHeEN0fRFDcU-ZgThM9HENtsM6qxMxEafdN6UXisOdxtl__U-S8EZdxNl_b-KpB9rQsN3Ak1nIrVqYVq7zll_X5ABfcCd59Ia5cti_zDh/s320/254819_218639664822835_100000304093195_761624_1810765_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">Ubaid and his
friends next visited the health department of Jehlum, the district that Pind
Dadan Khan is a part of. The officials there were so impressed with the
group’s social action project that they took necessary steps in order to ensure
that the young people receive the cooperation of their town’s health department, free of cost.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">To date Ubaid and
his group have organised nearly 30 health camps. Their database now boasts
names, addresses, and blood types of 3,200 individuals. When blood samples are
collected forms are also circulated which inquire whether the individual is
willing to donate their blood in case of emergencies. According to Ubaid nearly
half the people in their database have agreed to donate blood if required.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt;">Not one to be
satisfied by what he has achieved, Ubaid recently completed an Active Citizen’s
Training of Facilitators (TOF) and now plans to help other young people achieve
their dream of making their communities a better place to live through positive
social action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-64221554578903037472012-05-21T23:28:00.000-07:002012-07-02T04:59:44.909-07:00Playing for keeps<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVzBgLmlel5nSP00QW1lpcRrBbMgBMLCYZZxc0ytYRXU7wx1rUoKW8wuiNAmu0vV8fKHR_4YPRNmBkke12ulc1VDb4UHCWWdcAPwrIQslwBHYA5PZdbWs3qdlgUPIR0wfFWd5nB3MRfiI/s1600/image001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVzBgLmlel5nSP00QW1lpcRrBbMgBMLCYZZxc0ytYRXU7wx1rUoKW8wuiNAmu0vV8fKHR_4YPRNmBkke12ulc1VDb4UHCWWdcAPwrIQslwBHYA5PZdbWs3qdlgUPIR0wfFWd5nB3MRfiI/s320/image001.jpg" width="299" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For a long time Mehroze Kiyani wondered how he could help the young
people of Abbotabad who had lost their way and were leading aimless lives. His
biggest wish was to help young people who had turned to drugs and crime in their
despair. But Mehroze is not a person who only wishes for good in his society;
he is actually a doer. Mehroze got in touch with individuals at the Sarhad Rural
Support Programme (SRSP) – a partner organization of the British Council who invited him to participate in their next Active
Citizens capacity building workshop.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to Mehroze
this was a turning point in his life: “I came to realize that young people
living in any country are capable of bringing a remarkable change (in their
societies)”. A key feature of the Active Citizens training programme is its
flexible and adaptable structure. Taking advantage of this flexibility Mehroze
chose an often overlooked aspect of society for his social action project: sports.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> But Mehroze did not pick
any popular sport for his project, no he wanted to connect with young people on
a physical as a well as an emotional level. He decided to work with traditional
sports that used to be popular in the Abbotabad area; sports, which sadly had
been ignored for many years. On being asked why he chose to base his Social
Action Project (SAP) on sports, Mehroze said: “I think that involving young
people in healthy physical activity is an effective way to keep them on the
right track – and away from despair and antisocial behaviour”. Besides, adds
Mehroze: “this is also a way to get in touch with a forgotten dimension of our
culture”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLa0vRhE7ysOVlgdaJ8xBjXbjR6P7V52dhkUj9MR8GzEaA37bswMYJ5-iTFdrTv9N0_ZJjahYjAov1PCgZ7tzfkdmgY3JO4TblDfEPmrR8AQlmJmAM12X5seoW9B3vcfgSZ40m2_t4IIU/s1600/image003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLa0vRhE7ysOVlgdaJ8xBjXbjR6P7V52dhkUj9MR8GzEaA37bswMYJ5-iTFdrTv9N0_ZJjahYjAov1PCgZ7tzfkdmgY3JO4TblDfEPmrR8AQlmJmAM12X5seoW9B3vcfgSZ40m2_t4IIU/s200/image003.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mehroze enlisted the
help of a few friends to help him research these cultural sports, help organize
training camps, and promote them. Together they identified a sport that tested
endurance and strength of athletes who had to lift small boulders (</span><b style="mso-ansi-font-weight: normal;"><span dir="RTL" lang="ER" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">بُتکر بازی</span></b><span dir="LTR"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="LTR"></span>) and move them to a certain
point. The beauty of this social action project was that Mehroze did not have
to invest any money for sports equipment; all he needed was rocks of a suitable
size and the right location out in the open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Experts in the local sport
were invited from the union council who advised the young participants on how
to play according to the correct rules, regulations, and what safety
precautions they should follow. Once the training camp was over, a tournament
was organised. The tournament was a success with a better turnout than was
expected by Mehroze. The winner was awarded a cash prize of Rs. 500. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFW_NEjcz1aNQHq3Kz6VX6ay1crVhb3x0iZp1BHgRlORba_dZMoxt8mcAN5ZYHXVbZIJpJObyGWbbU6z5BAvi1osge9RPf81Klej4TY2uJRA9OCZDoaX_zQlYVxk6Jp3V_JDLOepJ2rZ9v/s1600/image007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFW_NEjcz1aNQHq3Kz6VX6ay1crVhb3x0iZp1BHgRlORba_dZMoxt8mcAN5ZYHXVbZIJpJObyGWbbU6z5BAvi1osge9RPf81Klej4TY2uJRA9OCZDoaX_zQlYVxk6Jp3V_JDLOepJ2rZ9v/s320/image007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mehroze
and his friends now plan to organize more training camps and contests for other
traditional games. The youth group is pleased to see that young people of the
area have embraced </span><b style="mso-ansi-font-weight: normal;"><span dir="RTL" lang="ER" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">بُتکر بازی</span></b><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="LTR"></span> as
a recreational activity. Mehroze talks about his social action project fondly
and discussing its effects on the young people of his area remarks: “although
my social action project is not a quick fix to the problems that local young
people face, but it’s a start. After all, a journey of a thousand miles starts
with a single step”</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-85596609826281163162012-05-06T17:16:00.004-07:002012-05-06T17:16:59.211-07:00The Gypsy School<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ramshackle
gypsy settlements are a common sight in nearly all cities of Pakistan. With no fixed occupations
and no land, members of the gypsy community live in uninhabited areas till they
are forced to leave by the local authorities. Gypsy children are often seen
begging for money or food at road sides, shops, and in residential areas.
Gypsies have always lived on the fringes of society and are usually viewed with
suspicion.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
these children like all children are entitled to education. This realization
did not escape Faisal Idrees, a young Active Citizen from Multan. Faisal decided to do something in his
capacity to rectify this situation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Faisal
enlisted the help of two of his friends and together they formed a youth group
to facilitate the provision of education to as many gypsy children as they
could. According to Faisal: “Every parent wants to send their children to
school but most people, and especially marginalized communities do not know
about Article 25 A and the right to education”.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Yw0Jsgs0ciZKD_CHJ2X_vbhV74i3MmjJLLmFiHnefWdsh5aHO5Cg95kUyCvZ_6hva4FseE7wbYBKtc4GzYUIwQE4fpLJ8VuwRNhOKWyyjmAYfoMZG4PVTeYfelPcsAsP-v8SGUhXlkJ5/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Yw0Jsgs0ciZKD_CHJ2X_vbhV74i3MmjJLLmFiHnefWdsh5aHO5Cg95kUyCvZ_6hva4FseE7wbYBKtc4GzYUIwQE4fpLJ8VuwRNhOKWyyjmAYfoMZG4PVTeYfelPcsAsP-v8SGUhXlkJ5/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Another
problem that these young people faced was the sad fact that the money these
children collect by begging contributes to their family’s income. And so
parents with no fixed source of income can sometimes perceive education of
their children as a threat to their family’s well being.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Faisal
and his friends decided to set up a make-shift school in the gypsy camp and
started a door-to-door campaign to convince parents to let their children
attend it. In the beginning this seemed to be an uphill task as not most parents
were reluctant to loose the income brought in by their children, and they also
viewed the strangers with suspicion.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9aeBdFn3rs2xUK6v7zrO2bYKv44rrAwwp-UkQ_GsaRiXILjoKFd95DuIvfWr9xOSYCUDkbOP9aodjzglJi9uX5H6p6_pHtbD2xag6FWCh1wZo3V47Jevn9WWhSSx3JD8Ltn8qCCwcn_r/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9aeBdFn3rs2xUK6v7zrO2bYKv44rrAwwp-UkQ_GsaRiXILjoKFd95DuIvfWr9xOSYCUDkbOP9aodjzglJi9uX5H6p6_pHtbD2xag6FWCh1wZo3V47Jevn9WWhSSx3JD8Ltn8qCCwcn_r/s320/2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
despite the resistance the three young people resolved to march on ahead; by
the third meeting with the community members they were allowed to set up their
‘school’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since they did not receive any
support from the gypsy community in terms of a place to hold classes in, they
started teaching in the first free space they could find. On the first day of
class 4 children showed up. Gradually the number of students started
increasing. By the end of the first week they were teaching 22 gypsy children. By
the end of the year the school had 138 students.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">According
to Faisal, initially the group members pooled in their money to buy the necessary
supplies to run their school, but as the number of children steadily increased
these meagre funds started proving insufficient. To overcome this Faisal and
his friends came up with a simple yet smart solution: they met with principals
of different private and public schools of the area and convinced them to put
up a box in the school where students could donate used books and notebooks. At
the end of each week members of the youth group visit these schools to collect
the donated books and stationary items. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Notebooks
which have been filled using pencils are erased and made ready for use again.
And books which cannot be used are sold and the proceeds are used to buy
pencils and other stationary items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Faisal
and his friends are now allowed to use empty tents to hold their classes while
the tenants are away but have to empty it once they return. The irony is not
lost on the youth group who have dubbed their school the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gypsy School</i>. </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
youth group has enjoyed other successes besides providing these children with
basic education. One of these is convincing parents to admit their children to
the local public school. So far 28 children have been enrolled in this school.
Consequently these children have stopped begging and now lead a much healthier
life style.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Children
attending the Gypsy School are also encouraged to give up begging through
stories and activities. The group of young Active Citizens hopes to dissuade as
many children from begging as possible and to facilitate their admission into
schools.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Faisal
and his friends now aim to reach at least 300 children by the end of this year.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-18466108430787291322012-04-19T00:05:00.010-07:002012-07-02T05:13:26.736-07:00Education at all costsIt takes 45 minutes to get to Soban Gali from Abbotabad city. The road ends where the hills get too rocky, and from there Samina Mumtaz’s house is a 5 minutes hike. Like all typical villages this is a close-knit community where traditional roles for men and women have been defined generations ago. Samina has lived here all her life.<br />
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According to Samina: “women (of the village) are considered to be a burden on their families and are mainly seen in the role of housewives. Women are restricted to their homes and education is not considered necessary for women”. Growing up in this rural setting Samina experienced this gender bias first hand. <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733006562021082018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPujZ2D1vSoZxF4W-QviEP8NbmkyTFDQOYiMWycNtubDq7_7sAc1izZxhkbAuo_ZgnOzyisZSGYtqX7M1pOpyX8Pp2c5royatyLzjJzXCwbS1d8k0hyasB0HDDuF43VX-Q4jRAvg2hxK3c/s320/image003.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 230px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /><br />
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Despite these obstacles Samina never for one moment felt inferior to any one in any way. As Samina puts it, her struggles and achievements are a testament to the fact that what a man can do a woman also do.</div>
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Being the driven individual she is Samina soon found her way to an Active Citizens capacity building workshop in Abbotabad organized by the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) – an Active Citizens partner. Among other things the four day training focused on areas that Samina was interested in such as gender sensitivity, and dialogue. On completion of her training Samina’s desire to work voluntarily for the betterment of her society found a new focus and direction.<br />
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With renewed energy Samina plunged into her pet project: a free school for the village children. For a few years now Samina had taught a few children of the village in a room of her house. Now she resolved to increase the number of her students and make their learning experience as fulfilling as possible.<br />
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There are no private or public schools within 10 Km of Soban Gali; parents have two options: either let their children walk for miles unattended or not send them to school. They usually choose the latter.<br />
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For Samina education has a special significance. She not only views education as an essential asset for all children but also sees it as a tool to empower women of her community in the long run – by not only educating them but also changing the mentality of the male residents of the village education and hence decreasing the gender bias prevalent in her community.<br />
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In the Active Citizens training programme Samina along with other participants explored dialogue and how powerful well thought out and executed dialogue could be. It was now time to put her learning to the test. She started a door-to-door campaign in her village to meet parents and discuss the importance of education with them, and encourage them to send their children to her school. She also developed links with another local NGO who promised to provide her with books and stationary for free. </div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733005240124282546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnEulZh9s1Z4shUoPjNBaXkQFLZxbFem-4Lg3S2A3nj8g57ow1OueNCU9C-WKnZ6V9jtdpGMa0RmIvTzbsZNP6DrFtfucMkJbxhLM08kRlg1wgBFIbAhPoojZMBKuHtLBumwde_nMaUuu/s320/2.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 180px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" />Soon Samina saw the number of her students increase to 63. Out of these 63 students 35 are girls and 28 are boys. But it was not all smooth sailing; Samina faced resistance from some corners of the society who saw her as an agent of change. In their opinion Samina was trying to destroy the cultural norms and values of their society.<br />
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Another attitude prevalent in Samina’s community is the reliance on aid by donor agencies and NGOs. A large number of the village residents hold the view that being poor entitles them to monetary aid. Samina faced stiff opposition from this segment of the community as well.</div>
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Undeterred Samina carries on her mission to provide free and quality education. She views this as her responsibility towards the children of her village. She hopes that one day the situation of other communities and ultimately that of Pakistan will be improved by providing education to all segments of the society, and that progress will come through a participatory and self-reliant approach.</div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733006073103960866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_u9L9_BiOHvPH545rmwOAyjcbXcdO9JMBvpPrPTajUgVmA68ImwIDebsR3sANiTOUeYBu0mpzMMkhd9FwcLfbEYuvonqB37QECsUC7MTZBRjgr1rkvKAxpluDJO4OUnbIBPO_sOZ0tJz/s400/3.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 271px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-4922188002505431752012-04-17T00:09:00.005-07:002012-07-02T05:13:44.204-07:00Where there is a will there is a wayShahzeb Shah lives in Mirpur Bhatoro, a small town of District Thaatta in Sindh. The education rate of Mirpur Bhatoro unfortunately has never been high and most the residents of the area live in poverty and below the poverty line in some cases. Most families make ends meet usually through partaking in agricultural activities. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWRnndbHWNdz_QMTMwe2sFT5RDgWMuJXgwzqfxRypoqBbqgivBvejOa-khOgU0_W3q2fbYLeo-9iuD50xRIneZfZm7rgFEoxZGeMorDBRP6x3elN4GA_eQAJSgxBG6ZnBrGkxj25JTenMZ/s1600/01.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732264149512130354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWRnndbHWNdz_QMTMwe2sFT5RDgWMuJXgwzqfxRypoqBbqgivBvejOa-khOgU0_W3q2fbYLeo-9iuD50xRIneZfZm7rgFEoxZGeMorDBRP6x3elN4GA_eQAJSgxBG6ZnBrGkxj25JTenMZ/s400/01.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 240px;" /></a><br />
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Shahzeb is one of the fortunate ones who had access to education growing up in Mirpur Bhatoro. As a matter of fact his mother is the principal of the town’s only public school. Growing up in an educationalist household Shahzeb was quick to notice that even with an educational facility present people still hesitated to send their children to school.<br />
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After attending the Active Citizens training offered by the British Council through a local partner Sindh Radiant Organization (SRO) Shahzeb decided to investigate this matter further and ultimately take steps to improve the state of education in his town.<br />
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With the help of other young people Shahzeb went door-to-door to investigate whether children of local households were receiving an education – and if not, what was preventing them?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OitWOn5pun8j0cyKqDQjN8mV1vs_WmnUOWsMgIdMmvmm6huSP1nro-6D0BuC8UQsT7HvLbjwnKlTcV9Ebw0cP9DWGidFsPdm4ikx5d3K1OKbmzBi2P2Z-kA0rpkcvh6tLmcejSIIq4y1/s1600/02.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732264907945789234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OitWOn5pun8j0cyKqDQjN8mV1vs_WmnUOWsMgIdMmvmm6huSP1nro-6D0BuC8UQsT7HvLbjwnKlTcV9Ebw0cP9DWGidFsPdm4ikx5d3K1OKbmzBi2P2Z-kA0rpkcvh6tLmcejSIIq4y1/s200/02.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 150px;" /></a>Soon this group of Active Citizens discovered that parents who were usually reluctant to send their children to school headed families that lived in abject poverty. Their children usually helped them with household chores, worked odd jobs, and sometimes even begged from passers-by on the streets to bring some change home.<br />
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With great effort and patience they convinced parents of out-of-school children to send their children to school free of cost.<br />
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After conducting this initial research Shahzeb and his friends started the second phase of the project: they convinced Shahzeb’s mother to let them use the school’s facilities to offer free classes to out-of-school children. It did not take much effort to convince her and the arrangement reached was that Shahzeb and his group members could use two class-rooms in the evening when regular classes were over to offer free lessons to deserving children.<br />
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Soon the free tuition centre was up and running and the two class-rooms were brimming with children. Shahzeb and his friends pool in their funds to buy books and supplies for the school.<br />
Nearly 80 children attend the free tuition centre, out of which 50 are girls. Besides providing lessons in basic English, Urdu, Sindhi, and Maths Shahzeb’s groups also concentrates on character building classes and providing awareness about hygiene.<br />
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Shahzeb and his youth group have made a point of making learning fun for their students. Children are encouraged to indulge in physical exercise when not in class. In fact learning in a safe and enjoyable environment and being coached in sports like cricket and football are some of the things that children look forward to each night when they go back home. And the satisfaction of making learning an enjoyable experience is what makes Shahzeb and his friends continue teaching at the free tuition centre.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732263962095288082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4N0pKv4RyPdpeULQfDUWFebUwvWP_rVSSJx4Mi4ax__8tbpeYIsiK1W-sY5SZxH18GeqmZTu1jKUAHDiDUMMqmwk_0BlYi2FqgRdS_afOE14XGxftL4R0k0IgoSgk0eCsr6AO6w5UOj7/s400/03.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 186px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-32369083292040298522012-04-12T02:31:00.009-07:002012-07-02T05:14:00.800-07:00Reflections on peace in QuettaQuetta is a city of Pakistan that makes the news from time to time. Unfortunately, most of the news is bad. Kidnappings, targeted killings, suicide bombings, and a simmering separatist movement are not anything new to the people of Quetta; they have seen it all.<br />
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The largest province by area, Balochistan just by its geographic placement is a very sensitive and critical area of Pakistan: it shares its south-west border with Iran and its western border with Afghanistan. Adding further instability to the region is the different and diverse mix of ethnic groups inhabiting the province.<br />
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Last week I found myself in Quetta after a long time on an official trip. The purpose of the trip was to oversee a film shoot for an upcoming Active Citizens documentary. I visited a number of places where our film crew shot footage of ongoing Social Action Projects, but what I would like to write about today are my observations of a few activities organised for the promotion of peace in the city.<br />
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Our local partner organization, the College of Youth Activism and Development (CYAAD) helped organise these activities in Mariabad, an area of the city populated by memb<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730445107504657282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNrZmp0NwurhBtABv5r-vdf-898hZ13S2U6QEaj2oqfGVryq_BrAVzdIf-awDp3Z8waIT0Sz8Yq9RQpparNBWqbR9tYN0PCsRPC3LpMs4Tw27sOv1CEXuUWRQJ8HH_-ErbnbDzk7bXsUt/s200/DSC00723.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 134px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" />ers of the Hazara community. The Hazara people form a minority in Quetta, and of late targeted killings of Hazaras have shook their entire community to the core. Some people term these killings the work of extremist elements; others term it as systematic ethnic cleansing. When I asked people from different areas of Quetta why they thought the Hazara people were being murdered, and by whom, they could not offer a motive either. The fact remains thought that people are being killed in Quetta – Hazara, and members of other ethnic groups as well.<br />
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The first part of the day’s activities was a peace walk to the local graveyard from the city centre. A group of young people from all over the city, comprising of various ethnic groups participated in the walk. It was very encouraging to see young adults and children holding up placards and banners with messages of peaceful coexistence printed on them.<br />
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It was a brisk winter day with clear, sunny skies – perfect weather to be outside. Reaching the graveyard, the participants of the walk offered prayers for the dead and hung messages of peace written on coloured paper from a tree in the graveyard. We then made our way back to the city where a workshop on conflict resolution was arranged in a vocational and technical institute.<br />
The workshop was headed by Ms. Najeeba Saeed of CYAAD. Najeeba is a well respected resident of the city because of her long association with the development sector. Her main expertise lies in study of conflict and the resolution of conflict.<br />
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Najeeba talked about two major groups in any conflict: one which has something to gain from the conflict, and the other group which wants to resolve the conflict.<br />
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She went on to say that people who live in one area of Quetta feel that visiting another area of the city is not advisable; this is the wrong way to think. This city belongs to all the residents of Quetta; staying in one particular area and not venturing out of it only divides the community.<br />
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Listening to Najeeba talk about divisions within a community, I could not help but think that this concept could easily be extended from a community’s perspective to a larger one: which encapsulates an entire country. In a way we have adopted a similar mind-set of creating our particular safe zones, and in the process we have isolated other areas of the country and the people living in them. Quetta is one such place. </div>
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Balochistan’s provincial minister for quality education, Mr. Jan Ali Changezi was also in attendance. When asked to offer a few words on the occasion, he quoted the following excerpt from the speech that legendary Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz delivered in Moscow when he took the stage to receive the Lenin Peace Prize: “I believe that humanity which has never been defeated by its enemies will after all be successful; at long last, instead of wars, hatred, and cruelty”.<br />
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It is true that conflict exists in Quetta, but it won’t be resolved by looking away from it. Nor will it be resolved by rushing into dialogue without a well thought out plan. We have to focus instead on understanding the underlying issues that are causing tension, we have to try and understand the sensibilities of the different ethnic groups that make up the population of Balohistan. We have to work towards a peaceful, and safer Quetta, and consequently a more stable Balochistan. We have to do this by well thought out and sustained engagement; not by adopting a policy of avoidance or escalation. </div>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-60195854401537913272012-03-31T05:57:00.002-07:002012-07-02T05:14:34.629-07:00Knocking down wallsSalman Uqali is a resident of Maqli, Thatta. The housing community he lives in is located in the better part of the city. One disturbing trend that Salman noticed though was his neighbour’s practice of encroaching on public land. Soon this practice of building illegal encroachments spread throughout the neighbourhood; the city authorities too did not take much notice of this illegal activity.<br />
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The two lane road of Salman’s street was soon turned into a one lane road because of structures raised on one side of it. These included extensions to drive ways, and in some cases boundary walls of houses too covered part of the road.<br />
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Not only did this cause inconvenience for motorists and pedestrians it was dangerous as well. Another effect of the encroachments was that they drove down property prices of the housing community.<br />
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It was apparent to Salman that this illegal activity had to be stopped – starting with this own house. Salman’s house’s boundaries to extended over into the city’s land but he convinced his family to remove the illegal construction.<br />
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Deciding to have all illegal encroachments removed from his neighbourhood Salman began researching Thatta’s zoning laws and paid regular visits to offices of the local authorities.<br />
Because of Salman’s persistence the illegal encroachments were soon removed from his neighbourhood and the road passing through his street is being repaired and will once again have two lanes.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726044795314969778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_3q-WEUCR1fteh1jRhCmCZXxquMSKp7GGUaqfCeURJrgCLHODNJwu1ZyVEjYVfjpZSL8kerF-13Q4Diu9jTW_I1z4C3cY5pRmsxOzCf-Ujus1FeQbfT377MI9rxNZR82HjVgQad9eFRl/s400/428280_393712157309199_100000112545413_1653899_1382767098_n.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /><br />
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</div>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-493911768286188632012-03-31T04:58:00.005-07:002012-07-02T05:14:54.965-07:00The rewards of education<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLmSvyHC8_BfyS8-PWmDiRkHctkZTjX8mM5EWHZBilcA0mY710v3Wc32NLYLTMe34lhXpCajSZbYtrJaI_RSwDuX7DT0g9-9vfmYntsyM7Hji2PonYdWozqJVAJST_7havtkbZUvq7L-g/s1600/image011.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726029997674498706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLmSvyHC8_BfyS8-PWmDiRkHctkZTjX8mM5EWHZBilcA0mY710v3Wc32NLYLTMe34lhXpCajSZbYtrJaI_RSwDuX7DT0g9-9vfmYntsyM7Hji2PonYdWozqJVAJST_7havtkbZUvq7L-g/s320/image011.png" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 258px;" /></a> Sadaf Javeed is a resident of village Dehri Maira located in a remote area of Abbottabad. Mos t people of the village live below the poverty line and live without basic amenities. The major source of income of the villagers is farming and raising livestock.<br />
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The literacy rate is also low with a 55% educated male population literacy rates amongst female as low as 20%. The low female literacy rate can be attributed to a scarcity of education facilities that cater to female students in the area or close to it. The nearest middle and high school are located about 17 kilometers from village.<br />
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Although lacking in education, the female members of the community are very hard workers and contribute equally if not more in the day-to-day tasks ranging from raising crops and daily chores. According to Sadaf even though women make huge contributions to the community they still feel unappreciated and think that they are excluded from the decision making process by the men.<br />
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Sadaf believes that one way to empower women and give them confidence is to offer them opportunities to educate themselves regardless of their age. Education not only helps women recognize their rights and become independent, but also increases their capacity to make larger contributions to their families and the society at large.<br />
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This is especially true for mothers. An educated mother can take care of her children and family in a better way. She can provide better guidance, be a better role model, and be more aware of her child’s health. An educated mother also places a higher priority on ensuring a good quality education for her children.<br />
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Sadaf decided to hold adult literacy classes at her own home. She invited the village women to attend these basic education classes. The women embraced this opportunity to learn but they faced resistance from their male family members: it was a difficult task in some cases to convince men that the women would spend time allotted previously to work and chores to attend classes.<br />
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In a bid to win the support of the male members of the village Sadaf, her mother, and aunt organized groups of women to hold discussions with male heads of families of the village about the importance of education at any age and to convince them to let the women of their household to attend the adult literacy classes.<br />
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Sadaf’s adult literacy centre started off with 10 members which has steadily risen to 28 members. Sadaf also reached out to different NGOs and government organizations and was able to secure free of cost books and stationary items for her literacy centre.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiSTD8Ad7lVM9p6gwCmy5hpsJJYdpI4AWhjuzzODQXkxBBs4F4Fgf0HG62BNuIIN7clZ6eZv0jSVi0PVcsd3VP7m0r_jMFW9GQpjcPSpiTIM3bp-3pTXZju1TYkwE7ef3drac3KomZgvW/s1600/image015.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726030203522623250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiSTD8Ad7lVM9p6gwCmy5hpsJJYdpI4AWhjuzzODQXkxBBs4F4Fgf0HG62BNuIIN7clZ6eZv0jSVi0PVcsd3VP7m0r_jMFW9GQpjcPSpiTIM3bp-3pTXZju1TYkwE7ef3drac3KomZgvW/s320/image015.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 274px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
Teaching did not prove a hard task for Sadaf who has impressive credentials with a bachelors of arts in education and a masters of arts in Political Science. She did have to be very patient with women who could not read or write at all. To reach students such as this Sadaf adopted a visual style of teaching: she uses cutouts of letters and numbers, and pictures of places and animals to make learning a fun and interactive process.<br />
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For Sadaf the reward for her hard work and patience is the new-found confidence in her students and the ways in which education has made their lives easier and richer.Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-344242524266091772012-03-31T03:38:00.006-07:002012-07-02T05:15:09.074-07:00Back to life<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKB2zEglsWf5OpnEHBy6_H_wVrHfdGnnIn5bVEv6Ct9zOS68mLyoeAnCk9GsHj93rMkb2V2a5Wx7g22M-ZBUQUEnzvK4IwZjIUzr8mDxNDt5IL86iKkUO-D1Mqs5LRHgW9q3dI2lAcwDzi/s1600/419539_382212025122467_378036922206644_1627838_346265739_n.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726009150874958002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKB2zEglsWf5OpnEHBy6_H_wVrHfdGnnIn5bVEv6Ct9zOS68mLyoeAnCk9GsHj93rMkb2V2a5Wx7g22M-ZBUQUEnzvK4IwZjIUzr8mDxNDt5IL86iKkUO-D1Mqs5LRHgW9q3dI2lAcwDzi/s320/419539_382212025122467_378036922206644_1627838_346265739_n.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>Back to Life is a Social Action Project started by young Active Citizens from Lahore. And they could not have chosen a more apt title for the project. This group of young individuals chose to work in an area that is often overlooked by others: young children suffering from various stages of cancer. It takes a certain amount of empathy to think about and feel for ill children – tucked away in some ward of a hospital, out of sight, but not out of reach.<br />
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The young people who decided to work with these children are mostly students or young professionals. But they decided to take time out from their busy schedules and break their normal routines because they felt that children are important…and unoriginal as it may sound, the truth is that children are the future – suffering from a terminal disease or not.<br />
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The Children’s Hospital in Lahore has an entire wing dedicated to an oncology ward which is divided into sections corresponding roughly to the ages of the children that it houses. The group of young people wanted to cheer up these children and replace their boredom with fun and educational activities – what one group member, Usman refers to as ‘Edutainment’ – a combination of education and entertainment; and so they decided to tailor their activities according to the ages of the children.<br />
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For the younger children the group plays cartoons and animated films that are projected on the walls of their ward. According to another group<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaRnZihO8ZXz0aImrrzv7csOUbJYZVN_jgohMiBWON8rGSn9LO0zd_fwgQruQWNokaqYfS9wh0gYUMxxRuZrci_6jvD9mPOhYR19q_S2GhkvwZrk4YCTtAwwUpp0ryo_4GIoIYyLZ07PC/s1600/419750_382212528455750_378036922206644_1627847_1332008317_n.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726009740190049490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaRnZihO8ZXz0aImrrzv7csOUbJYZVN_jgohMiBWON8rGSn9LO0zd_fwgQruQWNokaqYfS9wh0gYUMxxRuZrci_6jvD9mPOhYR19q_S2GhkvwZrk4YCTtAwwUpp0ryo_4GIoIYyLZ07PC/s320/419750_382212528455750_378036922206644_1627847_1332008317_n.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a> member the children wait all week for the weekend when they get to watch cartoons, and laugh, applaud, and cheer together. For these children the group members were able to secure colouring books and colouring pencils free of cost from different NGOs as well.<br />
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The older, more mature children proved to be more of a challenge for the group, but they were able to capture their attention through regular visits. The group members not only tutor the kids in material that other children their age learn in school, but do it in such a fun and engaging manner that a bond has formed between them.<br />
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The connections that these young Active Citizens and hospitalized children have formed also has a down side: the group members have to accept the fact that the children they are working with are being treated for different forms of cancer – which is a potentially fatal disease. According to one member of the group sometimes they come to the hospital only to find out that a child has passed away; this can be a jarring lesson in the facts of life for the sick and healthy alike. But what keeps them going is the knowledge that for however short a time they have succeeded in bringing joy and laughter in the life of a child.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726010097173471282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQw0Uvfk5rQhn94SG_EEeQLZso_yhdOw39O7S9cvOm8lvFCOkG9h44kgg_RU4yXjAoBq8LvVyXoTugCRyYqPX15noeOjjt5Q7SJq6jB5xXeDyK0k8AIhcNehorIz2DwSTKsJJjAXrvouL/s400/423553_382211925122477_378036922206644_1627836_1342752773_n.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-36415199431360432912012-03-31T02:24:00.000-07:002012-07-02T05:03:53.073-07:00A second chance for mothersProviding opportunities for education to young mothers has a two-fold effect: an adult has a second chance to get an education that they could not when they were younger, and secondly young mothers are more likely to raise educated children. Educated mothers also have the option of educating their children at home if they cannot afford the tuition fee or other expenses that are associated with sending a child to school.<br />
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The main reason that young girls don’t attend school is their family’s poor economic condition. Additionally, when a poor family is faced with a choice between sending a boy or a girl to school, more often than not they will opt for educating the male child.<br />
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A Social Action Project (SAP) named Steps Against Illiteracy was started in an impoverished area of Karachi to fund a school providing classes to young mothers and their children at a cost as low as possible, and sometimes free of cost for especially deserving students. The school is called “The Citizens Foundation School” and offers classes three days a week in the morning and afternoon.<br />
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Some of the goals of the school are to enable the students to write and read basic Urdu and English, and to be able to perform calculations for day-to-day tasks such as shopping and planning the household budget.<br />
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The school is meant to run for three months. In this time its students will not only gain knowledge that can be applied to daily tasks but will also give them the background and confidence to apply to a “proper” school. The Citizens Foundation School may be a short-term venture but its benefits may very well last for a long time.Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-51273669627583014642012-03-31T02:17:00.002-07:002012-07-02T05:15:47.827-07:00Helping the helplessHow often have we walked or driven by the slums near our neighbourhoods and turned our heads away, pretending that we can’t see the suffering of the dwellers? The answer would be: countless. Tooba Hassan is an Active Citizen who chose not to ignore the miserable conditions of slums. She launched ‘Crystal Future’, a Social Action Project seeking to bring about a positive change in the lives of the less fortunate.<br />
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Having identified a slum area by the name of ‘Baykah Saeeda’ in F-11, Tooba decided to take its barely functioning school under her wing. The school was in a dilapidated condition with one teacher to cater to 50 students, no roof and an obsolete syllabus. Tooba introduced printed material and activities using Oxford workbooks to make learning a more interesting experience for the children. She also managed to raise funds from friends and relatives for a temporary roof. Her prime focus, however, was developing the children’s soft skills and moral values – an area of personal development most people ignore. Tooba worked to enhance the students’ reading and writing skills, build their confidence, teach them about hygiene and cleanliness and create awareness about social issues such as domestic violence.<br />
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When asked why she volunteered spending time in the slum school, Tooba said: “We wanted to help the slum kids become good citizens. If they acquire education, it’ll be easier for them to earn a respectable living”.<br />
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Tooba’s biggest challenge has been getting individuals and organizations on board to support her cause. Many NGOs are not interested in helping out unless their work is publicized, a sad reality Tooba discovered when she contacted some organizations to provide counselling for victims of sexual abuse.<br />
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Her motivation to keep going comes from the change she sees in the area she has adopted. The children, who once had an air of dejection surrounding them, are now active and engaged members of the community. For Tooba, there can be no better reward.<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725988028175203266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJj3PDFiD9TOpigvgF_clkzzge8bQuP8MNbRAfu9zhdbJzTpE1o4cpfcPVOUrAPe4lY81koL7j6RV7Ve13Kbi1LOImcGSR0n9c8-dxj7OeuS9LHOe60thc4WxoUmPpDHPMIgREe8PfwV-R/s400/ypp_2_001.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-88946057146080890932012-03-31T01:54:00.000-07:002012-07-02T05:15:30.375-07:00Blogging down barriersOriginally from Baluchistan, with a Sindhi name, and a resident of South Punjab, Momal knows first-hand the advantages of diversity. In her view diversity adds value to a community and should be celebrated. But not everyone in Pakistan is as open to diversity as Momal. The major shortcoming is the lack of networking between and socializing of people belonging to different cultural, financial and political backgrounds. This lack of communication leads to stereotyping within different communities.<br />
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Keeping the growing popularity of the internet in mind, Momal started researching internet marketing to provide a platform for young people from diverse backgrounds to network, share ideas and build trust. She formed a group with a group of friends and together they laid the framework for a blogging website which she named The Voice of Youth (tVoY).<br />
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During this period Momal and her friends also took part in an Active Citizens Training. According to Momal, after completing her training she took a renewed interest in her website. She now approached the online community as a Social Action Project which enabled the users – who were from different areas of Pakistan – to share their thoughts with one another on one platform.<br />
Soon tVoY turned into an online community mostly populated by students from different parts of the country. It gives users a forum to express and discuss their opinions about different issues, and is helping them in increasing their exposure to new ideas and removing old stereotypes.<br />
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Momal goes on to say that initially when a controversial topic was brought up, people put forward their opinions in a forceful manner and at times conflict arose. Gradually with moderation from the tVoY team this behaviour declined. Community members are now much more respectful of each other’s opinions and participate in dialogue rather than arguing. <br />
As the users of the websites grew so did the tVoY team. Talented individuals from different regions of Pakistan now work together to promote the acceptance and celebration of diversity.<br />
Momal believes the future of Pakistan lies in the hands of young people as according to one report, 66% of the total population is less than 30 years old. She aspires for tVoY to act as a forum that helps harness the true potential of Pakistan’s young people. This SAP is a result of her motivation to give back to the community.<br />
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Regardless of limited resources and facing various obstacles, the tVoY team is using their passion for internet marketing to benefit young people all over Pakistan.Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1781846640947179117.post-42260808940114349552012-03-31T01:23:00.008-07:002012-03-31T06:01:40.200-07:00Tipu Sultan Public School<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cBNsQFQyfL8gUK0sb8c9mxUvv9NKwgqKfJvfBKnE8_A2XwHFCpngw0egRiqTm2d5CkUd8_9yO7o5VyuEZZlO9x_n0IqLIh-nVFAKDF60j2qzQx7Nrau-eduOMqWt4yBLWK29fy7QjcLF/s1600/image001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725975260930749250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 294px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 220px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cBNsQFQyfL8gUK0sb8c9mxUvv9NKwgqKfJvfBKnE8_A2XwHFCpngw0egRiqTm2d5CkUd8_9yO7o5VyuEZZlO9x_n0IqLIh-nVFAKDF60j2qzQx7Nrau-eduOMqWt4yBLWK29fy7QjcLF/s400/image001.jpg" border="0" /></a> Pakistan’s public school system is in a shambles. Not enough public schools exist in the country and when the public is provided with a government-funded school, the quality of education provided isn’t always up to the mark. The Rizwana Group decided to start a primary school in Sahiwal that would provide education to out of school children of the community. The school is named the “Tipu Sultan Public School” and offers classes from preparatory to the fifth grade.<br />Tipu Sultan Public School is not just a run of the mill school; it focuses on providing a quality education to all students. Traditional rote-learning methods have been abandoned in favor of teaching students basic concepts and providing them with a clearer understanding of the material.<br /><br /><br /><div>The group launched an awareness campaign about out of school children and the benefits of educating them. Thanks to their efforts the group was able to attract a considerable number of volunteers to participate in the project. Presently all the teachers are volunteers. The group also raises funds to provide as many free books and school bags to needy children as possible.<br />The children attending the school come from a diverse background. The students vary from children whose parents can afford to pay for their education to children whose parents do not have the money to put them through primary school. With 150 children enrolled the school provides education completely free of cost to 15 of them.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725975453572716194" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 294px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 220px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9FR6m8PXkWX4zv9ApfWx-EfOodnaVzeuAiRxUFkBVx5aR37dLQE47E3l_qeTOTbth_6xSweaAvLamNzMSlO4Awcph9CZKwgpUXxPjNvbg6LR0jce1EgC1JN8q9ioopbDrskuT0bXAzkr/s400/image003.jpg" border="0" /><br />One key goal accomplished by the group members was convincing parents who had never sent their children to a school before, to enroll their children in the Tipu Sultan Public School. Most of the children that attend the school have never attended school before. Luckily their first school happens to be run by a group of people who view providing education not as a job, but as a responsibility.</div>Younus Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01016912007413222189noreply@blogger.com1