I'm trying to help the victims - Saad Hussain

Hi, my name is Saad Hussain (the guy with a beard and glasses) and I'm a member of "The Maximizers" - a youth group from Karachi. Here's my team - in the picture.

I've been associated with the Active Citizens Programme since January 2010. You know the recent floods have played havoc with our country; we - The Active Citizens - trying to help our fellow citizens as much as we can.

We've started a campaign through which we're collecting food items, clothes, shoes and money for the flood victims. We haven't camped along the road side like others - instead, we started by asking our friends and family to give alms for these desolate people.

We also began a chain of mobile messages - forwarding it to all our contacts and requesting them to forward it further. With every one's help and support, we've been able to raise Rs 25,000/- so far.

We're collecting commodities at various collection points. Collection points are my team members' houses. Each team member is working in his/her vicinity to collect relief items and accumulates them in his/her house. When we've gathered sufficient relief items - items we know will help at least 50 stranded families survive through the entire month of Holy Ramadan - we'll transport them to the flood hit areas.

But, a major problem was - how to get these good across the areas that are most affected by the flood? This was "a" challenge. We weren't comfortable handing our items to some NGO which wouldn't even give us records of where our alms have gone? We wanted authenticity and liability.

We searched for a reliable source and found the "World Food Programme Agency"- a relief providing body in Pakistan. We approached them because, we felt, they were genuine. They were kind enough to agree to take our items to the flood stricken areas.

Till now, we've collected relief items that will serve at least 30 families through out Ramadan. The World Food Programme representatives have asked us to hand them these items on coming Saturday, August 21, 2010.

We're looking forward to Saturday, frankly. We're excited and happy that we're playing our part as Active Citizens for the welfare of our fellow citizens. Thanks to the British Council for transforming us into Active Citizens!

We are going to pursue our dreams….

Life for disabled people is, indeed, tough. They have limited access in the buildings, on the roads, in shops/markets, at jobs - hence things aren’t easy for them – hold on, we sympathise with them, feel bad and talk about their issues, but we don’t really actually “do” some thing for them, do we?

Active Citizens Pakistan organised a workshop in Quetta and after that, a group of young people undertook the task of dissolving some challenges – if not all - that people with disability face every day.

A youth group called “DOST” led by Faris Mughal, launched a campaign to spread awareness about the issues of disabled people. He organised a “peace walk” which made people realise that handicapped people too, exist in the society, and have the rights to participate in community matters.



“Disability is not a curse. We’re a part of this society too, and have all the rights to make our voices heard. People should treat us like any other normal individual – so what if we’re on wheel chair or have sight impairments - we shouldn’t be pitied, instead we should be encouraged and appreciated,” said Faris Mughal, who has a disability himself. He looked very passionate and was trying his level best to bring a change in the way people think about invalids.

Another purpose of this walk was to provoke the masses to make their houses, offices, markets, shops and even mosques disabled friendly. Faris narrated that majority of shop keepers don’t pay the same level of attention to disabled people, as they do to those who’re “normal”. At times, the shopkeepers behaved offensively and shrugged them off.

He divulged, “After the peace walk, I’ve noticed a change in the way people think about us. They don’t signal us off any more; instead, I’ve seen that they are paying us more attention. They listen to us and pay heed to our needs. They’ve stopped using offensive terms too.”


Faris and the “DOST” group have been successful in securing 11% seats in Balochistan Assembly. This has been the group’s greatest achievement so far. They are planning to introduce educational and employment reforms for disabled people which is going to ease their lives, a lot.

“We’re very happy on this success! I’m one of the 11% members who are representing disabled people in the assembly. I’ll try my best to make the educational institutes, shopping places and roads disabled friendly. I’ll show that invalids are as good workers as normal people and they shouldn’t be slashed from the working class,” Faris informed about his future plans, hoping that doors of success will open for the handicapped people.

We wish Faris and DOST group all the best for their efforts! They’re a ray of hope and role models for all the disabled people across this country.

Go making a change Globally!

Do you have the passion to bring a positive change in your communities? Are you a social entrepreneur? A community activist? A volunteer?

If Yes! – how about some further training, newer ideas and meeting a whole lot of like-minded people from around the world?

The Global Change Makers are accepting applications for their Fifth Annual Youth Global Summit from 21-27 November 2010. Its once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all the passionate teenagers (mainly those who’re between 16 to 19 years) to broaden their horizons. If you fit this age bracket, apply for the "Global Change Makers" now!

You’ll get a chance to attend high level events like World Climate Conference, the Clinton Global Initiative University and World Economic Forum events in Davos, Cartagena and other places around the world.

You can apply for the Youth Summit Conference in four easy steps:

1) Register on the Global Change Makers website: http://www.global-changemakers.net/register .
2) Wait for the activation email which should arrive within seconds of registering.
3) Sign in the website.
4) You’ll find the application – fill in and submit it online!

You stand a great chance to become a Global Change Maker. Don’t miss it!
The last date is: 6th August 2010 – HURRY UP!!

British Council's new Online Newsletter.

Dear All,

No need to hold the Magazine, No need to keep the Copy "Safe n Sound" from Coffee spilling or pages tearing!!!

You can now read the British Council's Newsletter Online!

Yes, just log on to our website and have a go at it...

Follow this link to your online copy : http://www.britishcouncil.org/pakistan-newsletter-summer-2010.pdf .

You can't lose it now!! :)

Congratulations to all the ACTIVE CITIZENS!!

Dear All Active Citizens,

Congratulations!! Your project, Active Citizens Pakistan, has won a "British Council Staff Award 2010" :)

The British Council Staff Awards are the most prestigious awards of all times. These awards are given to the best project, looking at it from every angel - from the participation of the stakeholders to the Marketing bit of the project. Active Citizens has been able to secure this award mainly, because of the Next Generation Report, a project in which - YOU - the young Pakistani generation has participate with full vigour and enthusiasm.

It’s because of your efforts, your comments and participation that Active Citizens have been given this honour.

I'd like to thank you all for your hard work and support!! The projects that your have started - some are mentioned on this blog too - are simply superb and manifest your love for Pakistan.

Keep up the good work and keep these Social Action Projects running - who knows you might just win another award?! :)

An Active Citizens goes on Off Screen Expedition.

Muhammad Ali Paracha is an Active Citizen from Islamabad, who is now a part of Offscreen Expedition too. The Offscreen Expedition is a project that takes a team of young people from Pakistan on a journey of a lifetime to the UK. The aim of this expedition is to create greater cultural understanding between the youth of Pakistan and the UK through arts.

Ali attended a workshop organised by us (British Council's Active Citizens Programme) back in January 2010 and founded “The Awakening” an organisation that raises awareness about community issues amongst the youth. The workshop involved different activities, lectures, and social interaction with young adults from different localities and schools of thought.

“The Active Citizens programme provided me the platform I had been searching for. I realised that it is we [the youth] who can make the difference, and this difference is my hope for the future”, says Ali manifesting his enthusiasm to bring a change.

We were flooded with applications as soon as we announced the Offscreen Expedition and Ali’s application was amongst the short listed ones. Our interviewers’ got hooked with his passion to serve the local communities immediately, and were pretty impressed with his composition “Duniyadri” that reveals a young person’s fears and confusions about his religion, family and society.

Ali’s efforts paid off when he was selected to join the Off Screen Expedition team to the UK. “This is the platform of learning and education that I had been waiting for. I hope to make the most out of this journey by interacting with artists, musicians and writers, all working for the same cause and the love of humanity.” A very happy and eager Ali expressed before the start of the expedition.

We have selected 5 other young citizens from Karachi and Lahore for the Offscreen Expedition. These youngsters along with youth from Middle East and UK will travel through London, Birmingham and Yorkshire exploring cultures, religions, environment, music and politics.

They will use the latest communications technology to create a visual travelogue of their ‘expedition’, broadcasting their experiences live via satellite to their peers in hundreds of classrooms in their countries.

Sounds interesting?

We’ll hear from Ali soon and he’ll give us an insight to what’s been happening in London so far and how the English are responding.

Till then stay connected to this blog space, but if you’d like learn more about the Offscreen Expedition and read daily updates from the team, please visit: http://www.offscreenexpedition.com/ .

Start Commenting People!!

Hello Every body!!

I hope you enjoy reading the heartening stories of Social Action Projects that young people are running.

We'd love to hear your comments on their efforts, your suggestions and your stories....

Also, you can share how you feel for your beloved Motherland, since 14th August isn't very far!!

So start writing and show your support to these industrious youngsters :)

Happy Reading and Writing...