Human Development Foundation

Monthly Progress Report - June 2003

1. GENERAL HIGHLIGHTS

Economic Development

• A strategic planning review workshop was held at HDF National Office in collaboration with Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF). 20 HDF staff members from all the regions participated in this workshop. Common understanding was developed regarding Vision, Mission and strategies of HDF. The staff members also conducted the exercise of SWOT analysis for HDF. The workshop was quite informative and useful for all the staff.
  
• HDF Rahim Yar Region successfully completed the implementation process of social mobilization with Khushalibank for the year 2002-2003. Both the partner organizations (Human Development Foundation & Khushalibank) have agreed to further continue and strengthen the partnership in future. Partnership agreement for the year 2003-2004 has been concluded and signed.
  
• HDF has revised and submitted its micro credit plan for quarter 4 (July-August 03) to Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund. HDF and PPAF officials discussed the revised plan and agreed in principle. The revised plan has been processed by PPAF for its formal approval prior to its implementation.

Education

• SAFWCO (Sindh Agriculture Forestry Worker Conservative Organization) requested HDF to train its teachers in Adult Literacy, as there is no other training institute in Hyderabad, which is economical and also ensures quality. HDF-Shamsabad Region accepted the request. SAFWCO will pay the whole cost of the training. The first training will be imparted at Shahdadpur from July 28, 2003.
  
• A group of about 15 staff members from National Commission on Human Development-Human Development Foundation (NCHD-HDF) visited the HDF Islamabad Region and Education Cell of HDF National Office. The group visited the Child Friendly Schools of Islamabad Region and shared their experience with the team of HDF Education Cell.
  
• As a result of a joint campaign of HDF-NCHD and community all the Schools of the program area are being white washed at the expense of the community. Dr. Nasim Ashraf (Chairman-NCHD) visited the campaign and appreciated the efforts of the community members.
  
• Corps Commander Lieutenant General Ali Muhammad Jan Orakzai and Dr. Nasim Ashraf (Federal Minister and Chairman NCHD) visited few areas of Mardan Region where HDF is working in collaboration with NCHD. They visited some feeder Schools to see the ongoing progress of education program.
  
• To develop civic sense among the students of the "HDF-Child Friendly Schools" a topic is selected every month as "Theme of the Month". The students are kept involved in different activities e.g. role plays, dramas, stories, pictures, drawings, speeches, quiz and poems etc. throughout the month to develop their awareness about the selected topic/theme. This activity stimulates the children and arouses their curiosity of learning the basic norms of social conduct and behavior. The whole regional staff in general and teachers and students in particular take part in these activities. This month the selected topic was "Health & Hygiene" and all participated with lot of enthusiasm.
  
• Graduation ceremony of the first batch of students, who have passed their Primary level examination from HDF Child Friendly Schools was held in Mardan Region.
  
• 7 male and 1 female Adult Literacy Centers have successfully completed the Adult Literacy Course in Zhob Region during the reporting month. 80 male and 10 female adults graduated from these Adult Literacy Centers.

Community Physical Infrastructure

• Total 113 Community Physical Infrastructure Projects were initiated in collaboration with PPAF. 87 projects have been completed whereas 26 Projects are in progress so far. Total cost of these 113 Projects is Rs. 7,489,690 with a PPAF share of Rs. 5,811,117 and community has contributed about Rs. 1,678,573 in cash or in kind. 45 male and 1 female community organizations benefited from CPI components. 1,727 households with 15,700 population contributed and participated in CPI projects, consisting of 7,536 male and 8,164 female community members.
  
• 83 Hand Pumps and 4 Watercourse Linings have been completed and 15 Hand Pumps, 7 Watercourse Linings, 3 Link Roads and one Delay Action Dam is in Progress.
  
• It is expected that 2,239 acres of additional land will come under cultivation once proposed Watercourse Lining and Delay Action Dam will be completed in Zhob Region.
  
• Watercourse Linings of Talana and Murgha at Zhob Region have been completed. Community arranged an opening ceremony at their own and invited area Sardar (leader of tribe) as chief guest. Local Government representatives, HDF staff and local communities were present at this occasion. Whole gathering was served with traditional lunch and the occasion was celebrated with folk dances and songs.

Health

• HDF Regional Team of Mardan Region developed linkages with Health Department for providing Vaccination in HDF program area.
  
• HDF Zhob Region established linkages with population welfare department, as a result of which the department provided oral contraceptive pills for Community Health Center.
  
• Community Based Health Promoter has noticed in her home to home visits that 57% women in the area have not been vaccinated. The issue was brought under the notice of Health Department.
  
• Family Planning Services have been started at Community Health Centers of Islamabad Region with the assistance of Ministry of Population Welfare.
  
• Health Seminar on "Malaria" was arranged on June 30, 2003 at Community Health Center of Islamabad Region. 68 participants attended the Seminar.
  
• HDF arranged two Health related seminars at Islamabad Region. One was on "Family Planning and Contraception", which was arranged through "Green Star" for LHVs. The second was on "Reproductive Health" which was organized by HDF in collaboration with "Ministry of Population Welfare" for LHVs and LHWs.
  
• The inauguration ceremony of the first HDF-Community Health Center (CHC) was held at Shamsabad Region and the center became operational. In the CHC, 2 days vaccination camp was arranged where more than 200 persons were vaccinated.

Linkages

• The project proposal submitted to UNICEF by HDF- Shamsabad Region on "Environment and Sanitation" was approved and first installment of Rs. 2,11,300 and 15 additional Hand Pumps were received. The received fund will be utilized for the formation of water & sanitation committees, capacity building of the community members, formation of PTAs, training of PTA members and teachers' trainings in the Shamsabad Region.

Visits

• Chief Operating Officer-HDF visited Rahim Yar Khan Region. He met all the staff members and community representatives and saw the field activities. Discussions were held on existing procedures and systems, particularly, those related with micro- credit for their further improvement.
  
• Regional staff of Karachi Kachi Abadi visited the OPP (Orangi Pilot Project), Aga Khan Project in Sultanabad and Safi Qurshee Foundation. The purpose was to see and catch up the positive points of the program activities of other organization and to bring about improvements in HDF.

Activities Carried Out In Lahore Region

• Baseline Survey has been started for all the sectors of HDF e.g. Health, Education & Economic Development.
  
• 6 DOs were formed, 2 were male ( 30 membership) and 4 were female (55 membership). So far the total
  saving of the newly formed DOs was Rs. 2,445.
  
• One technical skills training on "Basic Garments" was started, in which 13 females participated.
  
• Two Non Formal Basic Education Schools have been started with a total strength of 46 (29 girls and 17 boys). 74 children have been identified as potential students for new schools to be formed.
  
• 10 days pre-service teachers' training on "Joyful Learning" was imparted in newly established Lahore Region. 9 female teachers were trained in this training.
  
• Venue for one Community Health Center has been identified in the program area.

Special News Of The Month

Lady Health Worker of Mardan Region named "Naheed Akhter" identified/reported a high risk 9 month pregnant lady namely Tauheed w/o Tahiruddin, resident of Village Sahirifabad , whose blood pressure was 180/120 and her face/ankles were swollen. She was crying from severe headache and was unable to do her routine activities (Toxemia of pregnancy and was leading towards eclampsia). As this was her first pregnancy and was at high risk, our LHV immediately referred the pregnancy to the DHQ Hospital Mardan, where she was admitted and delivered a healthy baby. The mother and child both are with good physique. This immediate corrective action of HDF Health staff has secured/saved the life of an innocent woman.

Another interesting story is that , Lady Health Worker identified a woman in the same village of Mardan during her routine household visits, who was in her fifties and pregnant for the 17th time. Her Blood Pressure was 120/80 with sound physique. Her 7 children had died while 9 are alive. She was looking normal and active.