Issue: 01 April 2015

Quarterly Newsletter by Innovative Development Organization (IDO) 23-A, Garden Housing Scheme, Main Samungli Road Quetta, Web: www.ido.org.pk, e-mail: emblemsofchange@gmail.com, Phone: 081-2834642

IDO is a non-profiteering, non-political, non-ethnical and non-governmental organization working in Balochistan since 2003 in the sectors of Governance,

Education, Gender and Development, Water and Sanitation and Development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

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IDO is also the implementing partner of UNHCR in the project based on

providing refugee and host communities of District Quetta with clean and

potable drinking water through the construction of new and renovation of

existing water supply schemes. The project is expected to successfully fulfill

the long outstanding needs of people in focused areas. IDO is thankful to

UNHCR for considering its past expertise in similar projects and appreciates

the commitment of UNHCR to meeting the needs of refugee and host

populations.

UNICEF is implementing the Strengthening and Institutionalization of

Education Management Information System (EMIS) project in collaboration

with the Education Department, Government of Balochistan and with the

technical support of Innovative Development Organization. IDO is thankful to

UNICEF for recognizing its technical capabilities in the implementation of ICT

projects and also gratified to the Education Department for extending full

support and cooperation.

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Innovative Development Organization (IDO) is implementing the Education,

Skills and Protection project in sub-urban areas of District Quetta with the

partnership of Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Through ESP project IDO is

successfully facilitating education for Afghan and Pakistani Children, while skill

component of the project is enabling both Pakistani & Afghan women to

increase their household income. The ESP project has also been successfully

building the capacity of community elders, Police officials and doctors to

prevent and respond on gender protection issues for the wider community

wellbeing.

Education Management Information System (EMIS)

Education, Skill and Protection (ESP) Project

Catering to Water Needs of People (CWNP) Project

Title Photo: Zarmina, a student of educational center 2 established for Afghan refugee children

Photo Credit: Khumais Raza, our featured volunteer of the quarter

Strengthening and Institutionalization of Education Management Information System (EMIS)

Supported by UNICEF and implemented by the Education Department, Government of Balochistan, the EMIS is a step

towards revamping the planning and management systems of the public sector education system in Balochistan. IDO is

playing its role as the technical partner of UNICEF and has extended full technical support to the Education

Department, Government of Balochistan in devising of data collection tools, training of data collection teams and data

entry personnel and setting up of data entry labs in all 31 districts of Quetta. IDO has also set up the EMIS website

(www.emis.gob.pk) which facilitates informed decision making for education managers and provides lots of helpful

information to the general public. The EMIS website was inaugurated by the Honorable Chief Minister of Balochistan,

Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch.

IDO teams have successfully trained 1725 data collectors nominated by the education department on data collection

tools and procedures of data collection. Moreover, IDO teams facilitated the education department in training of 207

nominated data entry operators in all districts. All data entry labs are functional and data entry is in progress.

IDO is confident that the efforts of all partners in the implementation of EMIS project will result in a dynamic and

modern education planning and management model facilitating informed decision making and evidence based planning.

Updates from January to March 2015

Staff at Innovative Development Organization has been providing technical

support to Education Department, Government of Balochistan, in the

strengthening and institutionalization of the Education Management Information

System (EMIS). Our staff members have provided support in training of

government nominated staff and provided technical facilitation in setting up data

entry points in all 31 districts of Balochistan. Moreover, IDO has continued

providing education, skills and protection to Afghan Refugees residing in sub-

urban areas of Quetta. Various activities have been conducted to enable

refugees, particularly women and children, in our focused areas to avail

educational opportunities and to enhance their skills in order to boost their

monthly income. IDO has also initiated the implementation of a new project

focusing on the provision of clean and potable drinking water to refugee and

host populations in District Quetta. The project staff is on board and

implementation of activities is underway.

The staff at our office has been very busy also in the relocation of our office and

the Display Center of Hunnermand, a self-sustainable initiative of IDO to

capitalize skills and enterprise livelihoods of skilled artisans living in the urban

slums of Quetta. Our new office is on main Samungli Road Quetta and the new

Hunnermand Display center is located at Shah Towers Quetta. IDO also joined

the UNHCR Livelihood Working Group to work in mutual commitment with

other organizations to improve livelihoods of marginalized groups.

There is a lot more to read about our projects and organization in this

newsletter. We hope you will enjoy reading and give us your valuable feedback.

Happy Reading!

Honorable Member Provincial Assembly Mr.Ghulam Dastageer

briefed about EMIS after inauguration of Data Entry Cell Noshki

A picture from training session of data entry operators at data entry

point in District Kech, Makran Division

QUOTABLE QUOTE “That’s what I consider true

generosity: You give your all, and yet

you always feel as if it cost you

nothing.” – Simone de Beauvoir

Volunteer Profile – Khumais Raza

Our featured volunteer for this quarter is Khumais Raza. Khumais is a freelance

photographer and a motivated social worker. He has worked on assignments

focusing on student literacy and education in mother tongue. Innovative

development Organization is thankful to Khumais for taking out time from his busy

schedule to take some awesome pictures featuring in this newsletter.

Editor: Hamid Baqi

Sub-editors: Zafar Khan and Zara Syed

Photo: Artisans at work in a skill development center established in the Education, Skill and Protection Project

Photo Credit: Khumais Raza

The ESP Project – Revival of Skills and Restoration of

Livelihoods Maidama, a 48 years old widow, mother of two children, is the sole

bread winner of her family since the death of her husband. She has

been residing in Arbab Gali, Turkuman Colony for the last 8 years.

When she started to earn money using her traditional skills of weaving,

she knew only basic Killum, a local traditional weaving. With basic

Killum skills, she started making products to sell. She had to visit buyers

in her neighborhood and had no access to or knowledge about the

larger markets which severely restricted her chances of income

generation. She hardly managed to earn a living. Selling products and

taking orders from markets in a community that is male dominated and

has barriers mobility of women was very hard for her. Unable to

support her family‟s day to day financial needs, she had pushed herself

into depression.

Once she came to know about IDO skill center through a neighbor,

she visited the center. She was briefed about the skills training and

how it would improve her crafting skills. She got enrolled in the skill

center. The skill center not only helped her improve her skills in

making quality products through different capacity building trainings

such as finishing and designing training, group management and basic

business and marketing trainings but also provided her an opportunity

to showcase her skills at various exhibitions and exposure visits

organized by IDO across the cities of Pakistan. This also developed her

linkages with local and national vendors. Maidama has not only

established her own sustainable livelihood now, but is also facilitating

her other group members in improving their financial status by

involving them in the completion of orders she receives from vendors.

“After the training and linkage development, I am earning

twice as much a month and looking forward to further

increase my capacity and my monthly income.”

Karachi Exposure Visit for Women Artisans

In order to achieve the goal of increasing income of under privileged women, CRS and IDO train artisans in a bid to improve

the quality of products being made and channelize them to the right market by instilling a sense of modern color

combination, innovative design and ultimately making the products compatible to the market trends.

However, all the efforts would stall if there are no linkages between skilled beneficiaries and vendors considering the cultural

barriers whereby women are not granted an easy access to market. In order to ensure maximum profit for the artisans; the

project focuses on developing strong linkages of artisans and vendors through local and national exposure visits.

In this connection, a six-day national exposure visit (from February 16-21) was conducted to Karachi; which is not only the

center of trade, economic activity and banking but also home to the country‟s largest corporations including textiles, fashion,

advertisement and arts and culture. 7 trainees who visited Karachi were taken to the business centers of Zainab Market,

Bolton Market, Bori Bazar and Tariq Road which are famous for procuring raw material, cotton garments and other general

goods.

To introduce the beneficiaries to the current trend and designs, they were taken for a visit to Boutiques at Park Tower,

Dolmen Mall and Atrium Mall. The shopkeepers and boutique owners showed tremendous interest in Khamak and Balochi

work. Our artisans received orders worth PKR 20,000.

Reflections of our Partners in Welfare

Syed Azeem, Community Teacher “The education skill and protection project implemented by

IDO has opened new avenues for education to Afghan

Refugee children. Children now have access to education

and there is a general increase in the parents’ awareness.”

Muhammad Yahya, CMC Member

“As a member of the Center Management Committee, I feel that not only has the ESP project provided education to our children, but a number of other activities such as skill development and awareness about human rights are available for men and women.”

Ms. Farzana, Teacher, Jehlum Karez Middle School

“IDO conducted for us a session on joyful learning. This training helped us understand quality education and rolling it out to all our classes. Since the inclusion of fun learning activities, our students are taking more interest in learning new concepts and do so with ease.”

Abdul Nabi Khwajakhail, Principal GBMS Ahmed

Khanzai Quetta

“IDO has not only trained our teachers on joyful learning

but the formation of Parent Teacher Committee is also

helping us keep a check on student absenteeism and drop

out.”

The schools established by IDO in the ESP project provide a lively and joyful learning

environment to the children. The classes have a print-rich air to facilitate learning

through visual aid and the teachers have been trained on imparting education using

teaching techniques which include interactive learning and teaching methodologies.

Photo Credit: Khumais Raza

The Hunnermand Display Center

The Hunnermand is an initiative by IDO to capitalize skills and

enterprise livelihoods of marginalized skilled women. The Hunnermand

provides sustainable income generation opportunities for its registered

artisans along with the facilities of finishing, packaging, tagging and

marketing of products.

Recently we shifted the Hunnermand Display Center to its new location at the Shah Towers

Quetta (Shop No. SF4). The new location is in the city center providing us opportunities to

showcase the handicraft of our artisans to a larger audience. The Hunnermand display center

is a forum to develop linkages between our artisans and the buyers.

Please visit the Hunnermand display center and place an order or two if you like.

Fresh News from Past

One Room Shelter Project

Innovative Development Organization implemented the one-room shelter project

(August 2011 to February 2012) funded by UNHCR in response to the devastating

floods which wreaked havoc upon the people of district Jaffarabad, Balochistan.

Two years after the completion of the project, our staff visited Dera Allah Yar where

IDO constructed 300 of the 1000 shelters to see how the lives of beneficiaries had

shaped up after the project.

Mai Jada, 73 and blind, continues to live in the shelter constructed for her in the

project.

“We lived a satisfied life in our mud house before the vicious floods ran through it

leaving us only land. All of us were devastated. In a hope to find shelter we went as far

as Quetta.”

She recalled how the Deputy Commissioner and some people from IDO had identified her and had approved a shelter to be constructed for her use.

She remembers how the news had filled the life of her family with „a new soul‟.

2 years after the project, Mai Jada and her mentally disabled son Naseebullah continue to live in the shelter, the construction of which was only

possible with the support of UNHCR.

„Our life is a lot better compared to what it was after the flood. It is something God has gifted us through some God fearing people.‟

IDO thanks Sami Zarkoon and Ali Nawaz Marri for their volunteer work to cover this story.

Balochistan Education Programme Notes from a Teacher’s Diary – By Khalid Khan

Innovative Development Organization (IDO) implemented the Balochistan Education Programme

focusing on improving access and quality of education for children in Balochistan. With the

support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Save the Children, the

programme, amongst other interventions, constructed 105 Early Childhood Education Centers,

upgraded 35 schools and provided missing facilities to 105 schools. IDO was assigned to carry out majority of the programme interventions. Months after the completion of this 5 year

programme, here is what a teacher thinks about the ECE center constructed in his school and its

far reaching impacts.

Through the Balochistan Education Programme, an Early Childhood

Education Center was constructed in our school. We received

training on teaching our students and the classroom was equipped

with joyful teaching and learning materials.

The construction of this room gave rise to the early childhood

education concept in our village. Prior to this project, parents

admitted their children to school at the age of 7, but now children

aged 4 or 5 are joining our school. This is saving every child 2 to 3

precious years of education.

Ahmed Ullah ECE Teacher

Previously, children were taught using the traditional and rather outdated teaching

methodologies, but introduction to the concept of early childhood education has

provided children and their parents an exposure to a modern and new way of

education. Parents in our village preferred sending their children to private schools, but

our public school has surpassed private schools since the construction of the ECE

center. Parents now prefer sending their children to our school! Using the teaching and

learning materials I can now help my children understand new concepts easily. The

Balochistan Education Programme also focused on promoting better health and hygiene

which has also raised awareness in parents and students about staying healthy to keep

abreast with the pace of life in this modern age.

Ahmedullah is a teacher of Early Childhood Education (ECE) class in Government Boys Primary

School, Killi Malik Abdul Ali, Kuchlak, District Quetta, Balochistan.

Rehana‟s Artwork

Rehana is a 9-year-old girl who studies at a community school supported

through the Education, Skill and Protection project. In her artwork, she has

precociously interpreted how the ESP project has provided her more than just

a school. She has drawn how her mother has been enabled to support the

family through improvement of her embroidery and sewing skills and provision

of a toolkit. Overall, Rehana seems quite happy with her life!

How to Volunteer for IDO?

All our readers and their friends are encouraged to join IDO as volunteers. How do you do that? Well, it is simple. Write us an e-mail at volunteerforido@gmail.com giving your name, location and area of interest. We are currently looking for volunteer dress designers who can help our skilled women artisans blend their traditional skills of

embroidery with latest fashion trends. Here is your chance to make a difference to someone’s life. Will you take it?

Catering to Water Needs of People – A Case Study by CWNP Team

Innovative Development Organization (IDO) has recently initiated a project aimed at catering to the water needs of the refugee and host populations in district Quetta. This case study is an effort by the

CNWP team drawing attention to how the targeted population are currently meeting their drinking water needs.

Killi Malik Saifullah, located almost 33 kilometers away from Quetta city, is one of the worst affected villages of district Quetta regarding access to clean drinking

water. In the inception phase of CWNP project, IDO team visited the area and observed that women and children fetch water from nearby unsafe and open

agriculture water channel traversing the village. It was observed that due to low literacy rate and awareness, people were unaware of appropriate health & hygiene

practices, and were consuming muddy and contaminated water. It was also observed that animals drink the same water from upstream of the channel which makes

the village residents more vulnerable to disease.

In response to catering the need of clean drinking water through installation of solar powered water supply in targeted area, IDO planned to initiate mobilization

sessions to orient communities regarding project activities and outcomes, the communities welcomed the intervention proposed by IDO and appreciated UNHCR

and IDO for addressing their need.

Mr. Haibat khan, a resident of this village stated: “We were excited to hear that IDO is extending assistance for the solar powered water supply scheme at our

village. Our women and children have to walk one kilometer to fetch dirty and turbid water for domestic use. I cannot imagine how happy we all would be after

receiving water facilities in the courtyard of our houses. I am happy to hear that Solar Powered Water Supply will be installed because current electricity shortage

would have made it difficult to fulfill the community needs and sustain the project”.

IDO has also taken other measures for the sustainability of the project. A Community Organization and Operation and Maintenance committee have been formed

and sensitized. These committees will be responsible for the overall repair and maintenance of the scheme. Community is willing to contribute if the scheme needs any repair and maintenance work.

Current source of drinking water in village

Feedback and Comments

We will be glad to receive your feedback and comments about our newsletter on: emblemsofchange@gmail.com

Glimpses – Training of Police Officials on Response to Gender Based Violence

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