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Brief Description of the Project Components
1- Gender Development Forum Meetings
The project conducted 4 Gender Development Forum meetings at SOUs (Pattan, Palas and Dassu) with the support of District Program Office (DPO) in their respective region, while the forum at District level is in process. Activists from different MCOs, elected representatives and especially Nazim (U.C & Tehsil) and DPO staff attended the forum. Project staff briefly told about the project activities and especially women activities. Issues were raised and possible solutions were sorted out. The meeting ended with the formation of a forum which would be responsible to initiate activities for the improvement of women status.
2- Health Awareness Campaign:
Basic Health facilities in the area are very pathetic. People are suffering from common disease which could be mostly overcome with hygiene practices. Health problems could also be solved with awareness rising, in which the project is playing its role. They are disseminating messages on different topics like Primary Healthcare and Hygiene, Nutrition and Health related general problems and common infectious diseases in the area. The outcome and objective of the health awareness campaign is to create awareness among women and men and bring change and improvement in their health. Total of 40 health awareness campaigns have been organized this year.
3- Traditional Birth Attendants’ Training:
Never before in the history of Kohistan had any organization or project succeeded in the field of women development. LASOONA accepted the challenge and under VLDC component it came up with the formation of Women Community Organizations (WCOs). Health facilities in the area are poor and there is no lady doctor in the whole of Kohistan district. It was very difficult to conduct TBA training in this type of conservative area. The project staff and especially female staff faced many difficulties in this regard. But the VLDC staff worked with zeal and dedication in a professional manner. The project has identified 14 women and trained them as TBA in Kohistan to bring change and improvement in their health.
4- Girls’ Education Awareness Campaign:
Female literacy ratio is very low in District Kohistan. The objective of Girls’ Education Awareness Campaign is to enhance awareness regarding importance of education in general and girls’ education in particular. The project organized 42 Girls’ Education Awareness Campaigns in various communities at SOUs level. The expected outcome of the Education Awareness Campaign is to benefit from the existing facilities and available resources in the area and willingness to send their children to school and especially girl child.
5- Girls’ Education Awareness Campaign:
The project staff with the support of DIU, BADP-II organized a Free Medical Camp. The doctors attended thousands of patients, both men and women, and also distributed medicines among them.
6- Non Formal Schools:
To improve literacy level the project established 2 Non Formal Schools for girls in village Bankail and Tehsil Banda (SOU Pattan). The community identifies the teacher and provides residence as well, while the salary is paid by the Project. These schools follow the government’s curriculum. The MCO/WCO and especially parents monitor and look after the school. Moreover, they also motivate other fellows to send their kids to school. Sites have been identified for three new schools and would shortly be established.
7- Formation of WCOs, MCOs, WVOs and MVOs:
The Project has so far formed 80 Women Community Organizations, 82 Male Community Organizations, 8 Women Village Organizations and 21 Male Village Organizations. All the organizations formed are functional.
8- Office Bearer Training (Men):
The Project staff identifies community members for OBT, conducted 15 courses so far. It is 3 days training course designed for the president, secretaries and active members of MCOs from different communities. The objective of the training is conceptual clarity about organization, record keeping, development, communication and linkages with line departments and other organization and development projects working in the area. One such course was also designed for women, which focused on social mobilization process, record keeping, linkages with line department, resolution, role of women in development, communication and role and responsibilities of president and secretary.
9- Activist Training (Men):
The project staff identified 40 community activists based on the performance after OBT for activists training. Training was conducted in two phases, with 20 participants in each, at Swat organized by LASOONA. It was 7 days course including one day field trip. It focuses on the concept of participation and development approaches and leadership and management skill. After the training the participants are skill full of good communicator, presentation, planning and basic accountancy and record keeping as well.
10- Manager Conference:
LASOONA- District Kohistan organized 15 manager conferences at SOU and Tehsil level with the active participation of community members and the representatives of line departments. It was a one day event. The purpose of the activity was to create awareness among participants regarding BADP-II activities, approach, procedure and methodology of work. The community members got opportunities to express their views and ideas and developed linkages between the community members and line department for sustainable development.
11- Skill Development Training:
Skill development training courses have been designed for selected community members in different trades of Carpentry, Electrician, Mechanic, Welding, Refrigeration, Tailoring, Computer hardware, Driving and Plumbing for duration of one and a half month to six months. The outcome of the training is to enhance skill, generate income and availability of local skilled persons for jobs and businesses. Total 58 candidates for training were identified, nominated and recommended by the community. After selection the candidates were sent to Govt. Polytechnic Institute Mingora Swat. All the courses successfully completed and certificate and training report also submitted by the Institute in time. The driving course conducted for 10 students out of 58 in Govt. driving course in Peshawar.
Similarly, female candidates have been selected and Bint-e-Malakand Welfare Organization has been contacted for implementation of Embroidery and Sewing training to Women Community Organization.
12- Linkages:
The Project acknowledges the efforts of Health Department and BADP-II PLU, Peshawar who have appointed LHV and Lady Doctor at Dassu Rural Health Center at District Kohistan with full cooperation and support of VLDC.
LASOONA through the Village Level Development Component (VLDC) also implement the following additional components of the Project with the assistance of district line agencies and local communities;
I. Agriculture & Natural Resource Management
a. Agriculture Extension/Research:
This component focuses on improving food security in income of farmers in the project area through introducing improved practices at village level for (i) cereal crops demonstration (ii) gram demonstration (iii) oil seed demonstration and (iv) adoptive research trail (V) training of village extension workers and farmers.
b. Horticulture Extension:
This component focuses on improving nutrition and income of the people through (i) demonstration/promotion of season specific vegetables in the project area (ii) introducing kitchen gardening (iii) demonstration of fruits and vegetables preservation practices (iv) promotion of date palm and wild bird zizyphus plantation in the southern dry parts of the project area (v) establishment of fruit plant nurseries.
c. Soil & Water Conservation:
This component will focuses on conservation of soil & water in the project area through improved resource management practices and provision of spurs, protection bunds, water ponds, check dams, and training in better management practices.
d. Livestock Production:
Under the Livestock subcomponent village level initiatives which are low in cost and popular with livestock owners will be undertaken. These initiatives will support increased animal productivity through strengthening of existing veterinary institutions. AI centers and use of improved breeds, better nutrition balance and village based preventive health and basic treatment for livestock. Increased focus will be given to integrate the improved nutrition schemes and the enhancement of improvement of livestock breeds. The training of male/female livestock extension workers to support improving livestock returns for women will also be stressed.
e. Forestry Development
The forestry subcomponent aims at conservation of forest and rangelands within the project area in order to provide for fuel wood and other uses of the local population on sustainable basis. Activities will include (i) training in participatory social forestry methods and village use planning and zoning (ii) establishment of community and farmer nurseries (iii) afforestation (iv) promote income generation activities for community through better NRM practices and (v) involving women in forestry interventions.
II- Participatory Small Scale Infrastructure Development
This component includes the provision of small scale community infrastructure identified and prioritized with the village organization through a participatory development process with the assistance of LASOONA and line departments. These small scale infrastructure include (i) irrigation schemes (ii) drinking water supply schemes (iii) sanitation schemes (iv) feeder roads (v) shingle link roads and (vi) micro hydel schemes. These schemes will be implemented through village organizations assisted by concern line departments technically.
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