Future in Our Hands Pakistan

Background
FIOH Pakistan is part of the FIOH International Network. It was established in 2005 as a non-profit civil society organization in Pakistan having national coverage.  Provincial offices will be located in all four Provinces of Pakistan at an appropriate time.

FIOH Pakistan has adopted the Principles of the FIOH Movement.

Aims and objectives

• To advance public awareness that development is a matter of right rather than charity.
• To propagate the removal of hunger as a means of establishing peace and tranquility among human beings.
• To develop the capacities of people to honorably and boldly cope with their situation and work towards the establishment of peace.
• To work towards Inter-Faith harmony between all people.
• To promote environmental education for creating conditions for the greening of Pakistan and establishing environmental peace.
• To promote a simple lifestyle by the more affluent people in society so that savings can be invested in social welfare of the poor.
• To campaign for changes in the unjust social, economic and political systems and cultural attitudes which oppress or impoverish people, especially women and children.
• To pursue the principles of the FIOH Movement through the services of an Information Centre and by fostering and co-coordinating the growth of local community groups.
• To work in co-operation with like-minded organizations nationally and globally for the promotion of peace, tolerance, justice and equality of all human beings.
• To develop networking with National and International Civil Society Organizations.
• To disseminate information to all stakeholders including Government and Non-Government Organizations promoting the objectives and principles of FIOH Pakistan.

Help for victims of the earthquake in 2005

FIOH Pakistan, with limited financial resources, collected blankets and clothing to distribute to the victims of the earthquake that occured on 8th October 2005.   At the beginning of November 2005 the death toll was estimated at over 73,000.

With a small grant from the FIOH Fund UK, FIOH Pakistan  carried out a survey and feasibility study in the area affected with a view to providing longer term help to the victims in 3 or 4 villages by supplying goats, tree and vegetable seeds.

St Joseph’s Grammer School in Karachi helped with emergency supplies.

FIOH Pakistan is working with the Participatory Village Development Programme (PVDP) and has no separate office yet nor staff.  It works on a voluntary basis. The activities conducted in 2009 and 2010 included:

• Youth rallies for human rights and environment protection in Pakistan.
• Awareness on the importance of National Identity Cards for government services and security.
• Health and hygiene awareness among youth, women, girls, boys and minority communities.
• Relief Operation in which food and non food items provided to flood affected men, women, children and minority communities in Sindh.
• Formation of Youth Groups and capacity building for advocacy on human right.
• Awareness on the importance of education for social development of poor communities.
• Interactive Theatre used as a mobilization tool for creating awareness.

Pakistan experienced a series of disasters in 2010.
A massive flood engulfed half of Pakistan destroying life and properties all over the country.  More than 20 million people were  affected, exceeding the combined total of people affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.  In funding terms, the revised inter-agency appeal disaster (US$ 2 billion) issued on 17 September was the largest ever, surpassing even that for the Haiti earthquake earlier this year with over 10 million children hit by the flooding.

World Environment Day was celebrated on 5 June at Hyderabad District by FIOH Pakistan jointly with the Environment Protection Agency and partner organization Participatory Village Development Programme (PVDP).  The purpose of celebrating the event was to undertake initiatives to mobilize communities to take environment friendly initiatives and reduce environment polluting activities.  Mr. Dominic Stephen and Mr. Irfan Abbassi were the main speakers after the rally conducted at the Hyderabad Press Club.  Speaking on the occasion Mr. Dominic said that it is the responsibility of both the government and the common man to take initiatives to keep the environment clean, otherwise we will have to encounter horrible consequences in future.  Mr. Irfan Abbassi official of EPA said the government is making efforts to ensure a clean environment for the public safety.  He maintained that local Government is ready to work with the civil society organizations on any environment issue.
In addition to this a theatre performance was presented to the audience at the conclusion of the walk at the Press Club.  A theatre team highlighted the common environmental problem caused by carelessness or lack of awareness of the people.  They brought it to light that plastic bags are a big problem and cause blockages in sewerage systems which creates health and sanitation problems. They asked the audience to use cloth bags instead of plastic bags for shopping.

To sensitize the community of Thar Desert about the importance of National Identity Cards FIOH and PVDP organized 5 awareness meetings in many villages of the Thar Desert.  In these meetings it decided that PVDP’s Khushal Goth Markaz Committees (KGMC) will prepare the list of those adult men and women who have no Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) due to various reasons.
PVDP organized 5 Health and Higeine Awareness Workshops in 3 schools and 2 villages of taluka Nagarparkar, District Tharparkar jointly with FIOH.  90 school children and 80 adults including women and youth of the villages attended the workshops.  In these workshops people were sensitized about the following health and hygiene interventions.
· Care of teeth and trimming of finger nails.
· Body cleaning/bathing
· Wearing of clean clothes
· Hand washing after defecation/anal cleaning after defecation.
· House and kitchen and cooking pots cleaning
· Cleaning of village
· Clean drinking water/filtration of drinking water.

Youth rally for human rights
A remarkable Youth Rally was organized to sensitize the youth about human and social rights at Ratanabad, Mirpurkhas, Sindh.  Mr. Dominic was the speaker in the Rally and highlighted some of the main human and social rights violations taking place in Pakistan. 57 persons, including youth and people from different walks of life, attended the Rally.

Formation of youth groups
FIOH Pakistan formed three youth groups in 2010.  FIOH orientated and trained them for human rights advocacy.  These groups were formed in Tando Allahyar, Ratanabad and Mirpurkhas Sindh and these groups are active in their areas.

Education for social development of poor communities
Lack of education is one of the main reasons for poverty and this has created obstacles in the way of community development of poor people in Pakistan.  Most of the adults, particularly women, are illiterate and are unaware of modern tools and techniques that could enhance their quality of life and standard of living.  Very few women are literate and this puts them at the bottom of the social ladder due to the cultural mindset and traditional norms.  Due to lack of literacy and awareness the women are considered to be the weakest members of the family.
FIOH Pakistan believes that if adult members of the households are literate and educated, they can contribute towards the formation of an exemplary society in the country which can enable them to cope with their socio economic barriers.  FIOH and PVDP  therefore, organized 4 seminars to make the people recognize the value and importance of education.

Interactive theatre
As the theatre is one of the best tools to convey the message to communities especially to the youth FIOH Pakistan arranged 5 theatre performances during the year to mobilize and sensitize communities about different aspects of life including environment, human rights, literacy and health.

Response to the flooding
FIOH provided food and non-food items to flood affected men, women, children and minority communities in Sindh.
According to UN sources, 20 million were affected all over Pakistan. About a million houses were submerged.  Huge damage was caused to schools, health facilities, community centres, roads and other infrastructure.  40% of livestock and all crops were lost in flooded areas.  About 2000 flood related deaths were reported.  There were large displacements of people . Millions were forced to live on road sides and in school buildings, health centres and in camps.  They lacked food, health facilities, clean drinking water and other basic needs of life.
The worst affected were the women and children.  Women in pregnancies and deliveries suffered due to non availability of maternity facilities.  Children suffered from various diseases such as malaria, cholera, dysentery, gastroenteritis and diarrhoea due mainly to unclean drinking water and mosquito menace.

PVDP interventions
PVDP made a very quick response to flood affected communities in Sindh and chose Khairpur and Badin Districts which are the most severely affected in Sindh province.  PVDP provided dresses to the affected community before Eid-ul-fiter and provided food and non-food items and Mobile Medical Health Services to the affected community of District Khairpur and Badin of Sindh Province.  People were still living in the flood relief camps as refugees because their homes were destroyed.

Seminar

FIOH organised a one day seminar on 5th February 2011 on the Responsibilities of Youth in Society  at the Danishkad Hall, Caritas Pakistan Hyderabad office.

Speakers: Mr Dominic Stephen, Mrs Lina Khalid and Mr Shamoon Masih.  FIOH Pakistan has taken up the challenge to help the younger generation work towards the aim of peace promotion and poverty reduction in the country.
48 people from Hyderabad, Kotri and Mirpurkhas participated in this seminar.
Mr Manshad (volunteer in FIOH) welcomed all the participants and then gave a brief introduction to the seminar.
This was followed by an opening prayer led by Ms Maria.
Mr Yousaf Dominic then gave an explanatory introduction of FIOH Pakistan, its purpose and activities to date.
Mr Dominic explained that Future in Our Hands was an international movement.   The vision of FIOH Pakistan is to empower young people to play an active role in creating an environment of peace and a better quality of life for the people of Pakistan.  FIOH Pakistan is a partner in the Future in our Hands International Network.  It was registered in Pakistan under the Society Registration act of 1860 in 2005 and has been working for the development of the marginalised communities of the Sindh Province with the help of the Participatory Village Development Programme (PVDP).   He summarised FIOH Pakistan activities and its aims and objectives.
Dominic Stephen said that poverty is not a destiny but a man-made situation.  Poverty should be reduced by quality education, better occupation according to skill, refusing drugs and making and adopting a simple lifestyle.
Poor health is a major cause of poverty. People should therefore avoid drug and alcohol addiction and the smoking of tobacco.
A simple lifestyle is essential for poverty reduction since greed leads society towards unlawfulness, bribery, terrorism, etc  If we encourage a simple lifestyle amongst young people then no one can abuse them for their own selfish motives.
A session on gener balance was conducted by Mrs Lina Khalid. She said that in a male dominated society gender imbalance blocked the way to development.  In some areas of Pakistan people do not want girls and women to get an education.  If some women successfully complete their education they are not allowed to choose any profession.  They should be encouraged to participate equally in the well being and support of their families.  Men and women should have equal rights and responsibilities in society.

Group activity
Participants were divided into four groups to discuss what they considered to be the main causes of poverty in the country and suggest solutions:

Mr Shamoon Masih  said that peace needs to be begin from within us as individuals who should then form a collective movement for establishing peace.  Young people should then join with other peace movements and advocate against unlawfulness using participatory approaches.  We should condemn activities which cause discrimination, the violation of human rights and extremism.

Mr Yousaf Dominic thanked all the participants and said that FIOH Pakistan intends to arrange more seminars on different topics in the future to promote the culture of peace.   All are encouraged join this task of peace building, interfaith harmony and a develop a behaviour of tolerance in society.

On 22nd Feb 2010 at Mirpurkhas, Sindh FIOH and PVDP organisaed a Peace Rally.

About 60 members took part in the rally.  The rally walk started from St Teresa Hospital to the Press Club and participants chanted peace slogans along the way.  After the walk leaders of non government organisations and community leaders spoke to the participants.

 

 

Permaculture Ghana

Permaculture Ghana

The following photographs illustrate projects initiated by Permaculture Project in Ghana co-ordinated by Paul Yeboah.  There has been a large focus on working with women farmers and environmental education with children of all ages eg. Carbon credit/oxygen from trees, food and    nutrition, soil improvement and animal fodder.   After such a workshop with the schools the project also provides them with tree seeds and polypots for nursery practices and management.   Our vegetation cover in the region is being lost very fast and the project training is expected bring about a big change in attitudes in the area towards the environment and the value of tree planting by the year 2017.   Tree species being planted include acacia siamea, moringa, mango, citrus, mahogany, cocoa, cederella, albizia, teak, leucaena, gliricidia, ofram and millitia.  The project also includes instruction in organic methods of gardening. Ghanaens in general do not add enough vegetables/fruits to their food as such and education is provided to the school pupils in the importance of a balanced diet.

The focus of the organisation’s activities recognises the importance of a balanced diet of vitamins, minerals and amino acids for good health.  Deficiencies in any of these nutrients can lead to health problems – scurvy can be caused by a lack of vitamin C, night blindness by a lack of vitamin A, kwashiorkor by a lack of protein, anaemia by a lack of iron.  Other health problems can be caused by a lack of vitamins obtained from vegetables, fruits and moringa leaves.

Tree planting at Dupari in the Upper West Region

 

Kulpong D.A. Primary School at Wa in the Northern Region (left). Akunfi Ameyaw Senior High School (right).

 

 

Training in the production of cream, soap, ointment and shampoo made from the leaves of the moringa tree.  The powder from the leaves can be used as a food supplement.

 

Process of wood sawdust compost for growing mushrooms being shown to a group of Peace Corp visitors from the USA.

 

Neem seeds, neem oil processing, neem cake fertilizer, neem products – insecticide, shampoo, soap.

 

 

Pesticides are made from neem tree leaves and the process can be seen here:
PROCESS OF MAKING NEEM OIL AS A PESTICIDE

 

 

Eucalyptus replacement project, NW Region

Eucalyptus replacement project

Between 1997 and 1999, the General Co-ordinator of SHUMAS, Stephen Ndzerem and the President of Plant a Tree in Africa (PATIA)/Co-ordinator of Future in Our Hands Education and Development Fund UK, Mike Thomas, were involved in some intensive correspondence.  One of the issues they discussed was how to seek a sustainable solution to the adverse effects of eucalyptus plantations on water sources and farming areas. 

Women were the principal victims.  Women and children were forced to walk long distances to fetch water because the eucalyptus trees were taking up large quantities of water and this was lowering water tables and drying up water taps and springs during the dry season.

 

 

The adverse social effects of the trees was brought to the attention of SHUMAS by Angela Wirkom, leader of the Bonkeh Womens Common Initiative Group.  The women complained that the trees were taking up so much water during the dry season that they were having to walk long distances to collect water and find suitable areas to farm.
In 1999 Mike Thomas visited to carry out a site assessment and provided £500 from PATIA (matched by SHUMAS) to establish a nursery for 40,000 tree seedlings (10 species) and fell several thousand eucalyptus.

Because of the encroachment of the trees into existing and potential farming areas, many women have to walk long distances (often 15 miles or more) to find new areas to farm.  They will then live in temporary self-made huts for 2 to 4 weeks before returning home with whatever they can carry on their heads.  Many will carry babies or take young children with them.  People in general, usually women and children, have to walk further and further each year to fetch water.  A summary of the project and its outcomes are shown below.
Information gained from the pilot project was used in support of an application to the Big Lottery Fund (previously named the Community Fund) to fund a large project named the Eucalyptus Replacement Project .
A 10 page brochure summarising the first phase of the project can be seen here:
CAMEROON – EUREP I – BROCHURE

The project was launched in 2000 and was supported by all sections of the community and government authorities.  The project  involved the felling of 1,017,200 eucalyptus and the raising of 2,624,000 mainly indigenous African trees (60 species) carried out in two phases between July 2000 and October 2008.
The projects cleared about 463 ha of eucalyptus trees resulting in the recovery of 105 springs and 140 water taps during the dry season. 

The photos above show (1) a large area of Council land cleared of eucalyptus, (2) women clearing former eucalyptus plantation land in preparation for planting crops, (3) Pygum africanus trees raised from seed in Phase I of the project.  This species is nitrogen-fixing and an important cash crop. The bark is used in cancer treatment, (4) part of the large nursery established in Phase II of the project and (5) areas of agroforestry using seedlings outplanted from the nurseries.

Outcomes
Over 9,000 women who had previously walked long distances to farm and collect water, were able to farm close to their homes.
Statistics in 6 rural health centres and 1 hospital recorded an average 27% reduction in water born disease during the life of the project.  It was estimated that an additional 5,153 children were able to go to school because of the increase in family incomes resulting from the projects.
The local authority and many individual farmers copied the example of the project and hence the figures shown above are an underestimate of the project’s impact.
Monitoring visits were carried out by Michael and Glenys Thomas for the Phase I project in 2004 and by Alan and Teresa Stewart for the Phase II project in 2008.  Mike Thomas visited the project and that of Global Rehabilitation Services in 2009:

MONITORING VISIT 2008

EUREP II REPORT – MONITORING VISIT MAR 2009 EUREP II

 

The photos above show Glenys Thomas helping to sow seeds in the pilot project in April 2004 and Alan and Teresa Stewart who monitored Phase II of the project in 2008.

During his visit Mike Thomas and representatives of SHUMAS accompanied women on a part one of their 15 mile trips to their farming area at Nkuf. The project not only assisted the women, but also provided economic benefits for land owners who were generally men.

A short term benefit came from the sale of the eucalyptus logs for construction timber, fencing a electricity poles.  An important outcome of the project was that land owners gained more from growing crops than they previously gained from their eucalyptus trees. Thus many men joined women in planting crops for local consumption rather than cash crops for export.  It is also hoped that the project will support long term sustainable development because of greater opportunities for young people to gain employment locally.

 

If you would like to support the work of the FIOH Fund please make a  DONATION:

Participatory Village Development Programme, Pakistan

Background
The Participatory Village Development Programme (PVDP) is a locally registered development non-government organisation (NGO) established in 1997 with a vision to see in the time to come a healthy, literate, civic and socio-economically self reliant community. The organization was formed with a mission to support the poor and disadvantaged communities in improving the qualities of their lives, through encouraging people to organize and mobilize themselves for social change.
PVDP was formed with a clear aim to tackle the causes of poverty and deprivation and bring about a long term difference to the lives of the most disadvantaged people of Tharparkar district of Sindh Province in Pakistan. To achieve this aim PVDP and the community embarked upon the challenging task of improving the natural resources upon which 90% of the poor and disadvantaged people depend.

PVDP and the Community will work together towards long term change by improving, the water resources, the livestock resources and the general tree and fodder resources of the target area. The improvement in the natural resources will contribute directly to the improvement of living conditions of the poor and marginalized people. When this happens, it will help the target groups to sustain the project’s benefits in the longer term.

The economy of Tharparkar is mainly based on livestock and cattle which people raise to eke out their daily living.  90% of the population of Tharparkar district live below the poverty line and women and girls are especially disadvantaged.

Besides, improving the natural resources, PVDP and the community also work towards improving the health, education and the development of capacities of the communities, particularly the poor and marginalized groups.

 

 

The basic values of PVDP
PVDP respects the rights, culture and dignity of all people and stakeholders it is working with.

1. PVDP considers all human beings as equal irrespective of gender, caste, creed, beliefs, affiliation or political commitment.
2. PVDP gives top priority to the interests of the vulnerable groups such as women and children.
3. PVDP believes in participatory approaches in all its work and intervention.
4. PVDP opposes discrimination of all kinds.

The target group
The target groups of PVDP are the poorest households in the project villages.  These households are carefully selected by PVDP staff and the village organization.  The main object of the programme is to enhance the socio-economic, health and educational status the selected beneficiaries, 90% of which are women and children.

Major issues PVDP and the community aim to tackle are:

Gender inequality and poverty
Women and girls are more vulnerable to poverty in Tharparkar.  This is mainly because of the gender inequality which has aggravated discrimination due to social cultural and economic reasons.  There is unequal participation of women and girls in community life and there is hugely unequal access to assets such as livestock, land, health and education. PVDP is striving with the local communities to address the issues of gender inequality in order to reduce poverty and marginalization of women and girls.
Together with building assets of women, the project aims to bring about changes in attitudes, roles and behaviour that are essential for gender equality to be achieved.

Land degradation
The environment, which produces the most essential means of survival, namely food, fodder and fuel, is badly degraded due to human and animal pressures.  PVDP and the community have taken the challenge to restore the land’s fertility through developing its pastures and grazing lands.  PVDP is motivating the community to raise small flocks of animals, which are manageable and more economical to the households.  At the same time PVDP also advocates and motivates the community towards smaller family units to reduce the overall pressure on resources.

Food security
For this purpose a poverty reduction model based on improving the assets of households and providing regular income to the households has been developed together with the project communities.  The poverty reduction model calls for improving the natural resources with which the livelihood of majority is directly linked.

The objective of the poverty reduction model is to ensure secured livelihood for the poor and disadvantaged communities and reduce their vulnerability related to droughts and other disasters (earthquake).

Poverty reduction model of PVDP
To address the causes of poverty and vulnerability of disadvantaged communities, PVDP and its partner community organizations have developed a poverty reduction model based on production and harnessing of natural resources on sustainable grounds.  A six activity based model is introduced through women at household levels.  The model ensures development of permanent assets for women and a sustainable livelihood from livestock and land resources.

PVDP’s approaches to development work
Working with all the relevant partners – the stakeholders
PVDP strongly believes in participatory approaches in all its programmes.   Consulting and involving marginalized people right from identification of problems to the planning, implementation, monitoring, review and evaluation stages is the normal practice of PVDP.  PVDP believes that involving the community at every stage of the project development is vital to increase the chances of making a long-term difference and ensure that the benefits of the project will be shared fairly among the poor and marginalised communities. PVDP also seeks the collaboration of local government bodies particularly those relating to agriculture, health, education and veterinary services at district level.

Building the capacities of community staff and volunteers
PVDP believes in the capacity building of the community organizations it is working with, the staff implementing the programmes and of the volunteers, to be able to tackle the causes of poverty more effectively, more efficiently and in a sustainable way.

The aim of PVDP is to eventually shift the responsibilities of the project over to the community organizations over a number of years. It also means that over the years, the role of PVDP will reduce and role of the community will increase to the extent of taking over project activities and the management of community development work by the “Goth Sujag Markaz” – The Village Development Organizations of the villages.

Influencing opinion
Our constant interaction with project communities, government bodies and other stakeholders provides us an opportunity to use our combined energies and resources for the development of marginalized people and enable them to have more control over their lives.

PVDP, in the course of its work, aims to create more awareness of basic rights and equity issues at the family level, at government and civil society levels.  This kind of awareness at various levels will help to influence attitudes and practices among decision and policy makers.  The aim is also to create effective channels of communication between the grassroots and policy makers which is fundamental to influencing sustainable changes to the lives of the most disadvantaged people.

Building alliances and networking
PVDP has developed networking with various NGOs and government organizations in the development field.  This kind of networking is helping PVDP to share experiences and exchange resources to create an environment of co-operation to bring about sustainable development initiatives for the most disadvantaged groups.  Networking is helping to share lessons learned from project implementation of various network partners and in maximising impact and building organizational expertise.

Learn as we go along
PVDP is a learning organization.  It learns from everything it does with the community and other stakeholders.  The learning sharpens our vision and helps us to improve the way in which we work as an organization.

PVDP is a rights-based NGO
PVDP is a rights-based organization.  It respects the rights, culture and dignity of all people and stakeholders it is working with.  The organization considers all human beings as equal irrespective of gender, caste, creed, beliefs or political affiliation.  PVDP gives top priority to the interests of the vulnerable groups such as women and children and their rights.  PVDP opposes discrimination of all kinds.

Major programmes of PVDP
Community mobilization, awareness raising and forming of village organizations of men and women is part and parcel of PVDP’s development initiatives with local communities.  The major programmes undertaken with the community are as follows:

Natural Resource Management Programmes:

– Livestock development programme
– Fodder and fuel development programme
– Water development programme

Health Development Programme:

– Safe Motherhood
– Expanded programme of Immunization
– Promotion of smaller family units.

Emergency Response Programme:

– Drought Relief and Rehabilitation Programme
– Emergency preparedness trainings

Capacity building programme:

– Capacity building at community level
– Capacity building at staff level
– Capacity building at volunteer level.

Lobbying, networking and influencing opinions:

– Lobbying for major issues of the district Tharparkar
– Networking with government bodies
– Networking with other NGOs
– Working to influence policies and practices.

Major achievements of PVDP
PVDP started its work with only 10 villages in 1997 when it was established.  Work gradually expanded over last five years and at present this organization is working with communities in 60 villages with a population of about 50,000 comprising of about 7,000 households.

PVDP so far has supported the communities in forming 22 men and 27 women’s organizations who are regularly trained to build their capacities for self reliance.  PVDP and village organizations have worked together to plant about 52,000 trees, grafted about 2,600 bair fruit trees, 400 rainwater harvesting tanks, supported 14,104 poor families in times of droughts and earthquake.

Besides these activities, the links of PVDP within and outside Pakistan has increased.
– PVDP’s work is widely recognized by the community and local government
– PVDP’s image as a development NGO is good in the Province of Sindh
– The staff has gained on the job experience in regular development activities and relief work.
– PVDP is member of Indus NGO Network, which only admits value based and functional NGOs as members.
– PVDP is mentioned as one of the leading NGOs of Tharparkar in the website www.tharparkar.sdnpk.org

This two- stove model provides the facility to cook two meals at one time.  As the stove is smokeless, it saves women’s eyes from smoke related eye diseases besides preventing the internal portion of house and cooking pots from blackening.  The major benefit of this stove is that it saves about 1/3rd of the fire wood.  It is estimated that each household in Thar burns about 10 kgs of wood per day. With this stove, about 3.3 kgs of wood is saved daily and in one year about 1200 kgs of wood is saved..
The Thar population is about 1 million comprising of about 140,000 households.  If one household saves equal to 1200 kgs of wood, all the 140,000 households together can save up to 168 million kgs or about 4.2 million mounds of wood equal to about 42,000 full grown trees per year if they are using this fuel efficient stove.
The stove has a great environmental impact. The use of this stove helps to improve our badly degraded environment due to cutting down of trees for fire wood. It also helps to reduce land degradation and desertification processes.
Cost of material for one fuel efficient stove Rs. 300
Cost of training per household Rs. 250
Cost of monitoring Rs. 150
Total cost on one fuel efficient stove Rs. 700 (£8)
(Value of annual saved wood per household: 1200 kgs x Rs. 3/- per kg= Rs. 3,600) (£40).

The objective of this programme is to motivate the community for raising small flocks of animals to reduce the overall pressure of animals on the grazing land which in turn will help to reduce land degradation and desertification due to over grazing.
Under this programme a poor family is supported with a unit of 6 she goats.  The benefit of this activity to a poor family is two-fold; goat milk is used to overcome the problem of malnutrition commonly found in women and children due to poor diet and secondly, the male goat kids are sold to supplement poor family’s meagre income.
This is a revolving loan programme in which two goats are recovered by the project each year, this way all the six goats come back to the project in three years to help another poor family with the recovered goats.

The selection of a poor family for the Small Flock Programme support is made jointly by PVDP field staff and the Goth Sujag Markaz Committee (Village Development Committee) of the village.
The cost of a unit of 6 goat is about Rs. 7,200
Benefit to beneficiary family in three years:
Value of milk Rs. 20,000, (£222) and income from the sale of a male goat Rs. 15,000 (£167).

Grafting bair trees: This activity is conducted to support poor Thari households in raising bair fruits on their land for income generation.  50 bair trees of local variety are grafted with improved variety of marketable bair.  It takes from two to three years to produce bair fruit which can be sold in the market to supplement family income.
Traditionally three rains are needed to ripen the Thari crop of Bajra and Guwar.  If three rains do not occur on time, the crop becomes a failure.  The bair fruits can be raised in one good rainfall.  Even if subsequent rainfall does not occur, this activity still gives good results to the farmers.
One bair tree can produce a minimum of 20 kgs when it is in its prime.  So 50 bair trees can produce up to 1000 kgs of bair fruits in one season.  Normally the price of 1 kg of bair is between Rs.10 and 15 per kg.  But even in the village it sells for Rs.5 per kg.  The income that can be earned on 1000 kg production will be (1000xRs.5/-)
Rs. 5,000/-.
The cost:
Cost of grafting one bair tree comes to Rs. 50 including cost of transporation, staff time and cost of graft from another bair tree. So cost of 50 bair graft cost Rs. 2500 (£28).
The Benefit:
Annual bair sale (minimum) is Rs. 5,000 (£55).

Handicrafts:  This activity is undertaken by PVDP and Goth Sujag Markaz to provide earning opportunities for poor women to meet the basic food needs for their families through sale of handicraft work.
The activity also helps to address the problem of food security among the poorest families in times of drought when food shortages lead to an increase in the illness and mortality rates amongst the poorest section of the community.
PVDP supports women with quality raw material for making embroidery which they can sell in the market.  PVDP helps in improving the quality and design of the products so that they can fetch a market inside and outside of the country.
Cost
Cost of supporting one women with raw material comes to Rs.1000 (£11)
Benefit:
One woman on average can earn upto Rs.30 per day and in a year she can earn up to Rs. 10,000 (£111) without disturbing her daily chores (fetching water, cooking , tending goats, looking after children, helping in agriculture activities).

Poverty alleviation in the Thar Desert

Poverty Alleviation in the Thar Desert

 

 

For the people living in the Thar Desert region of Sindh, drought is a frequent threat and one of the major causes of poverty and deprivation.
This project (June 2004 – Nov 2008) involving the following activities helped 1,100 families (6,600 people) in 20 villages cope with this situation and build up resilience for the future:

• Village Development Organisations were
  established in 10 villages.
• Provision of 800 water harvesting tanks and 800 fuel efficient stoves.
• Provision of materials and training of women in embroidery and their civil and political rights.

This video gives an indication of what life is like for people living in the region:

 

Training was also provided for the families and the community as a whole in HIV/AIDS awareness, controlled grazing practices and management techniques.

 

Water harvesting tank

The outcomes of the project included:

• A 12% increase in the numbers of girls being enrolled in primary education.
• A drop of 10% in the incidences of cholera and infant mortality.
• A 27% decrease in eye problems and chest infections of women beneficiaries.
• Better access to water by all the beneficiaries during periods of drought.
• Communities gaining more confidence to campaign for their statutory rights and the women becoming more involved in village decision making.

The project managing partner, Participatory Village Development Programme (PVDP), was well established before this project started.

The project was visited by FIOH Fund assessors, Eddie Thomas in 2005 and Joanna Heaven in 2008.

The PVDP poverty reduction model, which involved establishing Village Development Organisations and an Integrated Management Committee, was used in the Eucalyptus Replacement Project in Cameroon and proved to be a very effective method of involving all the stakeholders.

Poor people benefitting from the project:
Three case histories

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Schools environmental programme

Schools  environmental education project
The project established the following programmes in 10 rural primary schools (average of 500 in each school) in the NW Region of Cameroon.  The programme involved:

1. Establishing a model school farm at each school where children will gain practical farming knowledge (seed selection, planting crops, nursing of seeds, growing crops, harvesting, storing, marketing etc).
2. Educating and conveying practical knowledge on the importance of trees in the community; children will also influence their parents concerning environmental issues and rural development.
3. Providing skills for employment.  The parents of as many as 60% of children will not be able to afford to pay secondary school fees.  This programme encouraged many more children to gain skills in sustainable agriculture, so that they find interesting and gainful farming employment in villages.
4. Income from the sale of school farm produce was used to pay the salary of at least one more teacher in each of the five schools.
5. Some of the income was used to buy educational materials, equipment and teaching aids.

The project was managed and organised by Strategic Humanitarian Services, based in Bamenda.  The programme  involved:

1. Acquiring land for the school farm: The school farm must be situated near the school for ease of mobility of pupils, so as not to waste too much time trekking to the farm.
2. Each of the five schools owned a farm of about 1 acre.  The land was divided into small plots. Each plot grew a different crop or vegetable. Crop rotation was practiced.

Seeds collection: Pupils were organised to make trips to the forest and taught how good seeds can be gathered.  Thereafter there were  practical lessons on how to treat the seeds, nurse them in seedbeds, transfer them into polythene pots and finally plant at their permanent site. The children continued to care for the seeds and the plants.
Environmental lectures were organised once a month in each of the schools: The lectures  included the economic and ecological advantages of different indigenous species, the social and environmental problems associated with eucalyptus and the danger of using chemical fertilisers.

School competitions involved quizzes and prizes were awarded to deserving pupils.

Publication of a hand out:  An educational illustrated booklet was produced that can be used in schools.
With the support of the FIOH Fund the NGO Cameroon Gender and Environment Watch (CAMGEW) working in Oku, launched a similar project which expanded the work it was already doing with schools in the area.
The FIOH Fund obtained grants of approx £12,000 from  the Funding Network and the Network for Social Change for this project.

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Tsunami relief programme in Andhra Pradesh – December 2004

Background
The tsunami of December 26, 2004 killed over 150,000 people in a number of Asian countries and millions were made homeless.  The economic cost of the destruction was staggering.  Unlike the Pacific Ocean, tsunamis may happen only once or twice in a century in the Indian Ocean.  Tsunamies occurred in 1941 and 1881 and originated from earthquakes off the coast of Sumatra and around the nearby Andaman and Nicobar islands.  The tsunami of 1945 struck India’s West Coast and was generated by an earthquake off the coast of Mekhran in present day Pakistan.  Although that earthquake was much less powerful than the one of December 26, 2004, the geological structures in the Mekhran area are capable of setting off more powerful and hence more dangerous earthquakes and tsunamis, say experts.

The Tsunami hit hours after an earthquake off the Indonesian Island of Sumatra at 6.28 am IST on 26/12/04.  The Andaman & Nicobar Islands (India) experienced 8 aftershocks ranging from 6 to 5.8 on the Richter scale.

The FIOH Fund response
The FIOH Fund was able to make a small contribution to this disaster through its partner HEARTS based in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, where the tsunami had devastating affects. The coast of Orissa and Tamil Naduc were also badly affected.
HEARTS director reported:

“We have visited the three camps in Bapatla and neighboring towns Nizampatnam, Vetapalem and helped with supplies and liaising with local government for further help for the loss of boats, fishing nets and compensation.  We had a meeting with the District Collector and Revenue officers  and they have assured that help would be provided.  We were able to get medicines from the local pharmacy stores and doctors assured help at any time.  The children needed  long term help in addition to the government’s compensation to parents – they were using it for personal items or towards building a house.  The children needed help with schoolbooks and clothing.  The death toll rose to 17,500 in India – 8,000 in Tamil Nadu and 175 in Andhra Pradesh (27/1/2005).”

HEARTS continued help during the first few months of 2005.
Hearts worked with local NGOs and supporters with the relief work in these areas.  The photographs below of the devastation were taken in the initial days of the situation in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh states.

Financial Assistance:
Hearts received Rs.116,887 (£1,670) from friends groups in the UK and Australia for relief work.  Local donations were received in kind such as blankets, cooking utensils, clothing and some food supplies.

Relief Camps for children:
6 relief camps were conducted in two districts.  In these camps an average 25 -30 children received regular support for food and games, counseling, non-formal education etc.

Hearts identified 12 children who lost single or both parents due to Tsunami.  These children were looked after by HEARTS since they had no other support from their families/relatives.  The community response was very saddening.  The people are in big shock and fear.  They refuse to go back to sea for 3 months although the Government tooksteps for them to get back to normality.

Some statistics on the tsunami:

THE DEATH TOLL
India 9,682 (official figure)
Tamil Nadu Dead: 7,921 (Nagapattinam: 6,023; Cuddalore: 606) Pondicherry Dead: 579 Missing: 86 ; Kerala Dead: 170 (Kollam: 130; Allappuzha: 35); Andhra Pradesh Dead: 105 Missing: 11 (Nellore: 20; Guntur: 12); Andaman & Nicobar Dead: 900 Missing: 6,010 (Car Nicobar: 336; Great Nicobar: 102)

FINANCIAL LOSS (INDIA)
The centre puts the preliminary estimate of the total loss for Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Pondicherry at: Rs 5,322 crore
Statewise losses:
Tamil Nadu: Rs 2,730 crore
Andhra Pradesh: Rs 720 crore
Kerala: Rs 1,358 crore
Pondicherry: Rs 512 crore
Andaman & Nicobar: Rs 2,500 crore.

Other countries death toll:
Indonesia 94,081; Sri Lanka 30,500; Thailand 5,200; Maldives 82; Malaysia 68; Burma 64; Somalia 300; Tanzania 10.

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Health, Education, Awareness, Rehabilitation and Treatment Society, India

Background

HEARTS is an indigenous registered charitable organisation established by a group of committed citizens from various fields with a strong desire to uplift abandoned, runaway and destitute children.
Despite the UN Convention on Child Rights and various policies of member countries and their Acts, the problem of street children looms large, worsening day by day.  Street children congregate mostly at railway stations and bus terminals where they have a place of shelter and can beg for their livelihood.  Also children prefer railway stations where free travel is possible.
Railway platform children in India have made railway stations their home, a place of living, eating and sleeping.
They live in a situation where there is no protection, supervision or direction from responsible adults.  The main reasons these children leave their homes include poverty, lack of love, alcoholic parents and family disputes.

The main problems they face as street children are lack of food, shelter, harassment from antisocial elements, police, drug abuse, etc. Hence it is essential to rescue these children who are in the utmost danger.  They have no access to education and information to help them grow as normal, healthy and happy children. Begging is their first occupation for survival.  In addition to struggling for food, street children are not bothered about dress, health care, washing, bathing, etc.  Because of their lifestyle they have a very poor health condition. There is no one to care for them in times of emergency or illness. They have no savings to pay for medicines and doctors fees.  When injured they leave wounds unattended.  Thus they learn to live with diseases.
Children who left home for relief might in fact face abuse, harassment, exploitation and deprivation.  They often undergo oppression from officials or older boys and their behaviour often becomes submissive.  With such abnormal situations their lives are slowly destroyed.

The experience of this boy, Tangavelue, illustrates the severe problems that street children face.  This boy was beaten by a ticket collector when he tried to enter a train carriage.  HEARTS director, Mohan Rao made a complaint to the station inspector and sought to trace the offending person.
The next day a sub-inspector from the Railway Police brought 11 children to HEARTS requesting that they be taken care of by the organisation. HEARTS is now working in close association with this official to help children who arrive at Guntur station.

Objectives

1. To reach out to street children found begging and living on the railway stations in and around Guntur City, Andhra Pradesh
2. To provide need based services for their growth and development.
3. To offer facilities for literacy, numeracy and life education.
4. To arrange facilities for vocational training for better living.
5. To improve the children’s self respect, self confidence, voting opportunities and dignity through the provision of love, care, concern and friendship.
6. Health care
7. Nutrition
8. Formal and non-formal education
9. Vocational training
10. Counselling
11. Recreation
12. Outings and camps
13. Referral services
14. Services for saving

A terrible accident occured at midnight on 23rd September 2002 in Guntur railway station.  Chandu, a 12 year old boy, fell from a moving train and lost his right hand and seriously damaged his right leg. He was taken to hospital by some of the other street children and HEARTS staff were informed of the accident.  HEARTS immediately took steps to arrange blood and medicines for him.

He was operated on and put in plasters for several days.  His mother was then called to stay with him.  He is seen here with HEARTS director, Mohan Rao Dasari.

Initially HEARTS operated from lock-up garages situated near the Guntur railway station, but now has a home for street children and orphans with better facilities for education and accommodation.

HEARTS has also assisted with:

Tsunami relief in Andhra Pradesh in December 2004

Cyclone relief in Andhra Pradesh in November 2013

Post war rural development in the Tonkolili District

Post war Rural Development
This project was intended to help people living in the rural areas of the Tonkolili District recover from a 10 year civil conflict.
The project was officially launched in November 1998 and comprised agriculture and small-scale income-generating activities.  Maize, pepper, cassava, cow pea and egg plant were grown successfully.
Gara dyeing, tailoring, soap making, bread making, including the required training, were established in conjunction with savings  and credit schemes.  All of these activities proved to be sustainable in the long term despite being interrupted by a resumption of hostilities between February and December 1999.
The background to the war and an account of the monitoring visits Mike Thomas made to Sierra Leone can be seen here:
BACKGROUND TO THE WAR IN SIERRA LEONE
SIERRA LEONE DIARY 2000 and 2002

The project was re-launched on 26th February 2000.

 

Mike Thomas made a monitoring visit on 5th May 2000, but had to leave the country two days later because of renewed rebel activities.  Shortly after about 45,000 people fled into the project area due to fighting between rebel and government forces.  In addition to the intended beneficiaries, emergency food and water was provided to many of these internally displaced people.

 

 

The pictures above show (i) the effects of a rebel attack on a relief convoly, (ii) Displaced people queuing for food, (iii) displaced people fleeing from rebel attacks (iv) displaced people with their belongings, (v) one of 10 Swindon schools which collected she boxes of emergency aid to send to Sierra Leone (vi) the aid being distributed at Yonibana.

Rebels first attacked the project area in December 1994 destroying two villages and most public buildings and shops . Many of project beneficiaries shown had been traumatised by rebel attacks and seen members of their families killed and maimed.  Many spent months surviving in the bush.  Many will have spent time in Freetown slums or displaced camps where they have had to develop new skills to survive.
The project co-ordinator, Edward Kargbo, himself a farmer, had to adapt to these very different environments and at one stage spent nine months surviving in the bush with his large family.  Several of his staff were killed and others brutally maimed.

 

One of the most successful activities of the project during periods of conflict was the seed multiplication programme. This involved sowing crop seeds in areas not affected by rebel activities and using some of the seeds derived from those crops in other areas when vacated by rebels.

When peace was eventually restored after the intervention of British troops and United Nations troops from India and Pakistan, Mike Thomas carried out the final monitoring visit between the 18th November and 7th December 2002.

All agricultural activities had been re-established and the training centre had been rebuilt after it was destroyed by rebels.  Most of the tools and equipment had been hidden during rebel attacks and were re-claimed.
The partner non-government organisation, Future in Our Hands Sierra Leone is now well known and respected for its development work in the region.

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Community centre and water supply in Kroobay slum, Freetown

Community centre and water supplies in Kroobay, Freetown

In 1992 the FIOH Fund supported the installation of three water supplies to a slum community of 5,000 people situated by the sea in the capital of Sierra Leone.  The health situation was extremely bad.  Homes were very basic and three sewage outfalls from the city flowed through the area which was also prone to severe flooding during heavy storms.

In this video one of the tribal chiefs explains some of the problems the community experience.  The Kroobay football team reaches the final of the local tournament:

In 1993 the FIOH Fund provided funds to start work on a community centre at Kroobay.
The walls were completed in 1999 but work then stopped during fighting between Nigerian soldiers and rebels who occupied the city.  The building was completed in 2002 with support from the World Health Organisation.

The building is now being used as both a health centre and social community centre.
Health conditions have improved but the population of the slum has increased.

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