SF-PIDSA Integrated Development Programme

This is an integrated development programme supported by Pakistan-Italian Debt for Development Swap Agreement (PIDSA) through Economic Affairs Division Government of Pakistan. This programme of Rs. 44 million spread over three years period. The sectors included in the programme intervention are Education, Health, Water and Sanitation, Skills Development and Micro Credit.

The programme interventions are initiated in January 2011 and Programme Introduction Meetings are held, Community Support Groups are formed. The female teachers for 100 government girls primary schools are appointed to support education department in achieving the target of every child in school

The specific results of the project to be achieved are as under

1. 100 government girls’ schools reactivated and operationalize in selected union councils
2. Improved health conditions of communities with special focus on reduced incidents of Hepatitis B and C cases (Screening, vaccination and treatment of 15000 people)
3. Improved access to safe drinking water to 300 communities through installation of hand pumps (6000 Household benefited)
4. Increased access to sanitation facilities (300 latrines benefiting 500 HHs) with better hygienic conditions
5. Improved economic conditions of households through skill development (700 individuals benefited) and income generation opportunities (900 loans benefiting 900 families) Strengthened SAMI Foundation as an institution for the sustainability of project

Sindh Resource Center (SRC)

It is the initial and basic initiative in form of SAMI LIBRARY that has been converted into a full-fledged Sindh Resource Center. The SRC is aimed to provide reading and research facility to all citizens of District Umerkot as well as to surrounding population especially youth and students of schools, colleges and Universities.

Sindh Resource Center (SRC) offers following services and facilities to its beneficiaries.

Books and Journals

There are more than 3000 books on variety of subjects like Fiction, Poetry, Politics, History, Philosophy, Travelogue, Religion, Stories, Biographies, Comics and General knowledge etc in Sindhi, Urdu and English. It also provides daily newspapers (Jang, Dawn, and Kawish), weekly, fortnightly and monthly magazines and journals to refer in SRC free of cost. Except this; there are so many publications of different civil society organizations and research institutions are also available for reference etc. The SRC also provides data and information regarding programs and activities of local government bodies, services department and government line agencies.

Internet Communication

This is era of computer and communication technology and it is the vital need of today’s youth and student to get acquainted with use of this important technology for its future planning and prosperous career. The SRC has a internet café facilities for students to search material for their studies and thesis work as well as enhance their knowledge base for competitive examinations.

Career Planning Counseling & Lectures

The SRC also provides to students the facility of career planning counseling, information on getting admissions in different universities / institutions. Besides this, lectures are organized to develop the life skills among youth and students of schools, colleges and universities so as they can play their active role in development of society and promote peace, harmony, brotherhood and democratic norms and values.

Accelerating Girls Education (AGE)

Since its inception organization has focused its activities on enhancement of education for which advocacy is made as well as different initiatives were taken. The major segment of the society is female population which remained ignored in all interventions including education services. SAMI has remained given priority to girls’ education and that is why came into partnership with UNICEF in 2006 in its education program and initiated activities “Accelerating Girls’ Education Project” and the project activities are continued. The average funding is Rs. 4-5 million per annum. This project is aimed to increase the enrolment of girls by bringing out of school girls in schools and retained them till completion of at least primary schooling. The project is comprised of hardware component (support in infrastructure & articles) as well as software component (Teachers’ Trainings & community awareness and mobilization activities).

Following are the major achievements of the program

• Social mobilization and awareness raising (29,101 girls are enrolled)
• Facilitation to elected representatives in formation of EFA Plan (27 UC EFA Plans in four taluka of district are formed & approved by District Council)
• Advocacy meetings for resources allocation under EFA Plans (14.698 millions of rupees allocated for various schemes in girls schools by district government)
• Facilitation to and Coordination with Education Department
• Monitoring retention of girls through regular school visits (whole month by field staff as well as managerial staff) 92% girls are retained to next grade.
• Following school WES facilities are provided in girls schools of district

  → Pair of latrine (new) 33
  → Single latrine (new) 06
  → Repair of latrines 54
  → Hand Pumps (new) 89
  → Hand Pumps repair 22
  → Hand wash facility 72

• 684 teachers and chairman/members of SMCs are trained on school sanitation and hygiene education; quality education, child friendly environment in schools.
• Provision of interim support for schools and children

  → 16500 Enrolment Kits are distributed among girls students
  → 13,800 Retention Kits are distributed among girls students
  → 334 Black Board are provided among girls schools
  → 67 Wall clocks 677 are provided among girls schools
  → 4000 Hygiene Kits are distributed among girls students
  → Hand wash facility 72
  → 220 Floor Mats are provided to girls schools
  → 238 Almirah are provided to girls schools
  → 200 Drawing Kits 200 are provided to girls schools
  → 2000 Volunteer Bags distributed to volunteers who supported in activities
  → 45 Recreation Kits and 26 School Inboxes are provided to 20 child friendly schools in four talukas
  → 200 Learning charts the set of seven are provided to girls schools

Development Area-34 (Action AID Support)

After a long and comprehensive field as well as office based assessment and appraisal of the organization’s management and program capacity, Action Aid Pakistan developed a program partnership with the organization in January, 2008 with an average annual support of 8-9 million. The program area is 08 villages of Union Council Kaplore and UC Fakir Abdullah of Taluka Umerkot comprised of desert portion. The program activities are benefiting population of these specific villages as well as surrounding villages of the area. During the comprehensive appraisal process in the field and interaction with beneficiary communities of identified villages following six themes were identified for future strategic interventions:

The following are the achievements of program under various sectors

Education

• (Provision of teachers support in 08 girls schools; one in each village benefiting more than 351 girls)
• Training of teachers on quality education, class room management, and child friendly behaviors etc. (10 teachers acquired 03 trainings)
• Supply of books, learning material, furniture, water and sanitation facilities in schools (charts, benches, table, chairs, almirah etc.)
• Formation and strengthening of 08 Village Education Committees

Health

• A mobile health clinic comprised of Doctor, LHV and Dispenser visiting two villages daily 20 visits/month
• Free medical checkup facility (1048 male, 2104 female, 1612 children)
• Provision of Medicines on purchased price (no profit basis)
• Health education through 32 sessions (415 men & 776 women)
• Delivery services
• Training of Traditional Birth Attendants for promoting safe motherhood. (20 Dais trained for six days and a follow up of 3 days)
• Referral serious patients to government hospitals 24 (10 male, 12 female and 02 children)
• Transport facility to vaccinators in EPI services ensuring vaccination of 167 children and 356 women

Women Rights

• 08 Women groups are organized in 8 DA villages comprised of 160 women
• 80 Women of these groups received Basic Management Skills training
• 80 Women received training on basic human rights, role in decision making
• 24 Women acquired Training of handicrafts development and accessing market for income generation
• 36 women participated in Exposure / Exchange visit to other DA villages
• 810 women acquired their Computerized NICs from NADRA field camps organized in DA villages

Governance

• 08 Community Based Organizations (CBOs) formed in DA villages
• 80 CBO members acquired training of Basic Management Skills
• Networking and linkages development with govt. line departments
• Youth Group comprised of 16 youths formed & trained on their role in the development of society
• 08 Community Water Storage Tanks are constructed for drinking water in DA villages
• Support of office room construction, furniture, almirah and daily newspaper is provided to strengthen 08 CBOs in DA villages
• 20 members of 08 CBOs participated in Exposure / Exchange visits of other villages of Development Area of Action Aid Pakistan

Food & Hunger

• Livestock Management Trainings to121 men & 84 women
• Vaccination of livestock to 14852 (goat, sheep, camel, cow and donkey)
• Supply of seed to villages for cultivation in monsoon season 600 HHs

Human Security (Emergency, Peace & Justice)

• Drought assessment and emergency livelihood support (Survey conducted and report is published)
• 104 members of CBO acquired training on Community Based Disaster Risk Management
• 08 Village Disaster Risk Management Committees (VDMC) are formed and strengthened
• Linkages of VDMC are developed with District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA)

Thari Embroidery Project Sindh

Women segment form more than half of the country’s population and without their participation in development and decision making process the development of society and nation will remain a question. SAMI advocates the socio-economic as well as political rights of women in all contexts and at all levels. The organization feels that without their economic uplift and access to the resources they could not get other rights. To empower them economically it is necessary to explore maximum opportunities to utilize their potential and provide them opportunities to earn and contribute in economy. This motive of the organization enabled it to become the partner of Aik Hunar Aik Nagar program of Government of Pakistan; for promotion of Thari Embroidery for maximizing income generation opportunities for craftswomen of district Umerkot and Tharparkar. The project is supported for one year with a total amount of Rs. 1.32 million.

The project agreement is signed in April, 2009 and activities have been initiated in district Umerkot. The base line survey on current socio-economic status of craftswomen is carried out so that after completion of the project activities the impact would be assessed.

Specific Objective of Project

“To increase the income level of 100 craftswomen of Thar (District Umerkot and Tharparkar) for hand embroidery through creating contemporary market driven designs, product diversification, market exposure and access”.

Project Interventions