New updates of ASH

ASH is a charity organization, it is a non-religious, non-political, non-governmental, non-profit organization that strongly believes in an equal opportunity for all and in preserving the cultures, traditions and beliefs of the marginalized communities it works in it.

The ASH supports projects working to protect and promote the rights of marginalized and vulnerable groups.

 VISION:
An educated, sustainable development society, free from the poverty, unemployment, healthy and hygienic community, free of the practice of defecation in the open and the community development is a process in which a community of people strives to make it possible for all its members to satisfy their fundamental human needs and to enhance the quality of their lives. A society free of untouched ability, social discrimination and empower the women in the society and struggle for their rights.
MISSION:
To educate and motivate the people, sensitize policy makers and functionaries
and promote activities and programmes of the Govt. Eliminating injustices which deny all people access to this right underlies the very essence of our work and our approach. Using the combined talents and energy of our staff and the families we work with, we strive to develop communities through a grassroots movement. By mobilizing and building the capacity of communities all can achieve access to health care and freedom from poverty, hunger and violence.  Self sustainability and capacity building poverty reduction, solution of environmental issues and provide the health facility ,and as well as the people, to achieve ASH’s vision in the foreseeable future.

Introduction: ASH is a social and charity organization, it is a non-religious, non-political, non-governmental, non-profit organization that strongly believes in an equal opportunity for all and in preserving the cultures, traditions and beliefs of the marginalized communities it works in. The Anjuman Salar-e-Hawwa Muzaffarabad Azad Jammu & Kashmir (ASH) was established in 2002 with the idea to promote education and health services, livelihood, women rights, poverty reduction, child protection and women mobilization in the district Muzaffarabad & State Azad Jammu & Kashmir. Informal contribution was made by the members in these fields. However, the members in 2003, decided to formally establish the ASH and run the programme with wider perspective. As such the ASH was formally got registered in 8/11/2003 with the Government Joint Stock company Societies Registration Act 1860/21and its offices were established in a rented building in a Village Dahnni Mie Sahiba Muzaffarabad. Now the offices are shifted to Chella Bandi Main City Area of district Muzaffarabad having all the best possible facilities. Few more subjects other than health and education like environment, child right, women development, vocational training, education for special children, public library Livelihood for poverty reduction and income generating through the different training and livestock, skill development center and micro credit, rehabilitation and construction for earthquake victims in disaster, formation and Capacity building of Community Base organization (Coes) Work for the basic need of human life. Specially work for women empowerment, and capability in society develop a net work of the different NGOs at national and international level. Rehabilitation of widows and orphan and disable person in society etc.. Were also included in the Charter of the ASH. Since the NGO is working in a highly organized and methodical manner on various programmes.

In the past NGO has undertaken many projects with the assistance of local and foreign donors and community participation. Now ASH is enjoying full confidence of donors, community and Government Departments monitoring the NGOs work. NGO is recognized at national level due to outstanding services to the people. People of the area have highly appreciated the services being provided by the ASH on non-profit basis. In fact the ASH has set new standards of community involvement in the identification of problems, proposing their solutions, baking best-suited plans as per local requirements and successful execution of these plans. At all these stages consultation with community and their physical participation is ensured to achieve the best results. In turn community has also given its full support in terms of time, materials, finances, land and moral support.

 An important aspect of the ASHs services is that the women have been involved for the first time in the development and educational activities at consultation, planning and execution level. Maximum employment opportunities have been provided to women. They have also been provided the opportunity of skill development and micro credit to enhance their family income by using their skills. This is the first attempt of this kind in this backward area to raise the status of women and make them important in decision making. Establishment of "Women Action Forum" is an outstanding effort of the ASH to provide a base to the women to get together., discuss and resolve their problems. They are provided full support to organize recreational activities for themselves. Individual support is also provided to needy women. They have also been provided special opportunities to benefit from the Public Library of the ASH, Computer College and Vocational Training Center

AIMS & OBJECTIVES:

Support to the communities in the planning and implementation of social and economic development projects to address poverty and create employment opportunities and raise family income by harnessing local resources. The focus of the organization is to raise the capacity of the communities for effective planning and empower them by developing community organization at the gross root level, with special emphasis on gender balance.

Empowering community based organisations (CBOs) and the poor among the rural communities to use impact monitoring for project management; and thus contributing to the sustainability of their project activities  Empowering NGOs to further improve the effectiveness, impact and sustainability of their efforts by identifying best tools for impact Monitoring & Evaluation and best practices in the area of Savings & Credit. Work for the women protection and their rights.

FUTURE PLANING:

1.  Making social changes more visible in implementing and funding NGOs thus improving the development policy work
2.  Improving public recognition of NGOs and CBOs and their contribution to development.
3. Selfless, voluntary, non-discriminating service.
4. joint action/programmes at the national level
5. Public awareness through the mass media.
6.  Work for women rights and struggle against domestic violence.
7. Promote to the formal and informal quality of   education including science and IT in AJK.
8. (Like establishment of institutes, Teacher training for better quality, built the institute for poor, orphan and deserving people who can not afford the expenses of education and their children are deprived to modern education or basic education and make the possible IT courses for the unemployed people for poverty reduction and change their life standard through the IT Diploma)  
9. Promote the health and hygiene for human life Conduct the seminar for awareness about hygiene and trained them; facilitate them by Ambulance, Dispensary and hospital. 
10. Livelihood for poverty reduction and income generating through the different training and livestock, skill development center and micro credit
11. Rehabilitation and construction for earthquake victims in disaster.
12.  Formation and Capacity building of Community Base Organization (Coes) 
13.  Work for the basic need of human life.
14. Specially work for women empowerment, and capability in society
15. Develop a net work of the different NGOs at national and international level.
16. Rehabilitation of widows and orphan and disable person in society.
17.  Work for the Child abuses and Child protection
18.  Conduct the Seminar for awareness about human rights and gender issue.
19. To enable the civil society to have access of clean drinking water and basic sanitation facilities.
20. Enhance the family income by providing employment
21. Ensure optimum use of the local natural resources. 
22.  Empower the social communities to participate in the social and economic development.
23.  Publish research, study, survey report for the benefit of the civil society
24. Introduce appropriate solutions in partnership with state institutions and civil society to protect environment.
25. Identify the psychological issues of children and adult and to resolve these issues through training of teachers and community.
26. To help poor getting employment including in the local bodies/Government and to impart training in different locations in order to make them self-employed.
27. To impart employment - oriented vocational training to the wards of the
28. Venerable and the boys and the girls of other castes so that they can secure employment or get self-employed.
29. To work for the rehabilitation of the incapacitated and disabled men, women and children.
30. To draw up plans and their implementation for all-round social development of the people in remote areas.
31. To undertake nationwide human resource development programmes, including mass awareness campaigns, sensitization and orientation of policymakers and functionaries and training of engineers, doctors and grass-root workers.
32. To promote community water-supply through conservation and preservation of traditional water sources, rain-water harvesting and recharging of ground water.
33. To provide consultancy services for planning and designing of community water-supply, waste-water disposal and solid waste management schemes and provide services for hospital sanitation and waste disposal.
34. To establish an academy/centre university for the pursuit of higher education and studies in different sector.
35. To carry out technical and social research and development studies on various aspects of environmental sanitation and community water-supply.
36. To reduce the morbidity and mortality rate of infants and young children due to diarrhea and to stabilize the rate of growth of population.
37. To undertake health and hygiene promotional activities, including setting up of health -care centers.
38. Application, demonstration and extension of results of research and developmental efforts through workshops, campaigns, papers, seminars,
39. Training programmes, other sanitation related diseases, etc.

Organizations and Networks

ASH is a member organization of various local and National level networks striving to integrate development efforts and building synergies to uplift disadvantaged sections of the society on sustainable basis. Organizational representation falls in the following networks. 

DONATION POLICY:

We wish to reach out to more people and do much more than our current programs For this we need more funds, more volunteers and your continuedsupport!

Please consider the following ways that you can donate money to the ASH.

Click on following links below for more details.

Donation via Debit/Credit Card

Donation via Cheque, draft, cash or wireline transfers

Donation via SMS

Donate blood

Donation in kind
Donate time

Account Information:
Title of Account: Anjuman Salar-e-Hawa.

Bank:   Muslim commercial  Bank limited Chatter Domail Branch Muzaffarabad (Pakistan) Limited

Branch Address: Bank Squire Chatter Domail Branch Muzaffarabad Azad Jammu & Kashmir (Pakistan)

Branch Code:   1504

Swift Code: MUCBPKKAA

Currency:    USD

Account #:   1001869

 Beneficiary: Anjuman Salar-e-Hawa Muzaffarabad Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

  

 

Success?

One of our government contacts has managed to speak to someone (blah, blah, blah) and seems to have been able to talk favourably about ASH to CISP to allow for the vegetable project to move forward.

The CISP contact even had the nerve to say to our chairwoman that he was confused as to why we were worried and causing trouble for him!?

Her reply was simple: Please just support fairly the work we have been commissioned to do and we will all be trouble-free.

Let us see how long this positive situation lasts...

The drama continues, sadly… :-(

The latest on the vegetable project is that CISP seem to be trying different angles to get money from ASH. Their latest trick is to reject our ideas for materials required for the project, even though this was in the approved proposal!?! Unfortunately, the one person we could go to for support is out of the country (it really is who you know, not what you know in this country!).

The next person in control has more-or-less stated that we should make a friend of his a vegetable consultant for the project ie give this person project money! Other than this process being unfair, the approved proposal states clearly that we have a vegetable expert on the team, so what will a consultant add? Nothing. It is ridiculous.

CISP have also outright requested 50,000 rupees (approx £400) to continue the work. They have even said to our chairwoman that she must meet a ‘social organiser’ if the project is to succeed? That sounds like a threat.

Pay the money? Do you really think this will allow the project to happen easily? Will this stop them harassing us? No, so ASH will never give in to such bully tactics – never ever!

But, our life is made so much harder, as a result.

We do what we can

This is a quick update to inform our followers that we have decided to work with the money that has been awarded to us for the vegetable project. Yes, it is not nearly all the money we need, but CISP are now claiming that we will receive the remainder in due course.

We are very concerned that this will not happen, so we have agreed to a plan of spending: We will purchase as many items that can be useful in other projects to, but also mean that CISP will find it harder to deny us the rest of the grant. This way, if CISP stop the payments, then we still have some of the big things that can help us in the future.

So, we are slowly buying what we can, materials, equipment etc and we are keen to purchase the biggest item on the proposal - the 4x4 car. If we play our cards right, we can have this, which will make this job and other jobs easier.

Please pray for us that the CISP money does not stop at all and that this project can be implemented, but if this does not happen, please pray that we can manage the money we do have efficiently.

Why working with the Pakistani government is hard work – what is a principled organisation realistically to do? What do they say: rock & hard place..

ASH is very weary of working with the government. In Pakistan, there is a lot of rule-bending which is testing to one’s morals, principles and faith. As often the face of ASH, our chairwoman (Ms. Nisara Abbasi), in particular, has experiences various forms of attempted exploitation, harassment and abuse of all forms in what are very male-dominated and corrupt systems.

ASH is proud to say that it is not willing to compromise on its honour and integrity in any way and is often required to withdraw applications for social work projects because of obscene and atrocious behaviour from the awarding bodies. However, maintaining principles is not cheap and we are very disappointed to say that ASH’s good work is limited by this sad situation.

Here is our latest disappointment – what are we to do?

ASH is currently trying to win a grant with the Community Infrastructure Services Programme (CISP). This programme is functions under the Local Government Azad Kashmir, but is funded by the World Bank. Its focus is largely on water and road improvements, but they also support sustainability projects.

In Feb 2008, the CISP advertised a livelihood project for small and local NGOs to apply to support local communities generate income from growing vegetables. This seemed like an excellent idea because, as we know, since the earthquake people have been struggling to provide for their families. This project essentially meant that those with arable land could be cultivated and generate an income for otherwise struggling families. It also fit into ASH’s remit and did not need to use ASH’s current limited financial resources to accomplish it. We were very excited by this potential opportunity.

We produced an Expression of Interest, as per the requirements, but did not hear anything for 2 months. Finally, we called the CISP office for some feedback, but they claimed the World Bank were managing the proposal. At some point, we would be required to attend a meeting as part of the process. Suddenly, the chairwoman received a call requesting her attendance at a meeting. Non-attendance meant that the proposal would be withdrawn! Thankfully, she managed to attend. This, unfortunately, marked the start of our struggles with this proposal. Sudden requesting of time, changes in rules, requirements for large payments, agreements to give percentages of the funds to administration, and bribes to facilitate the speedy processing of the proposal were made readily and without shame. That 4 other organisations have been approved to undertake the vegetable project suggests that funding is available and the call for proposals is bonafide. But, ASH’s experience is not this. ASH will never drop its honestly, but it is also realistic in knowing that in order to win the proposal, it needs to “play the game”. So, what do we do?

After 3 months of fighting for ASH, the project was approved, but not without conditions. We have only received 15% of the funds required and the remaining 85% is subjected to dishonest working. The chairwoman has contacted a major (now retired) player in the government sector who happens to be involved in this project and his advise was that this is very normal, so do as CISP say, pay whatever they want and get on with the work.

How can we do this? If we do what they want, people might get their livelihood sorted, but at what cost? ASH cannot and will not take part in this corruption. We wish for a better, fairer, honest Pakistan – clearly, we will sacrifice the organisations success for this distant future.

If anyone has any advice about how to manage these situations, please let us know how.

Previous work conducted by Anjuman Salar-e-Hawa (ASH) post-2005 Earthquake

Despite being devastated personally and professionally by the earthquake disaster, ASH continued its good work in the following ways:

1. University Ground, Chella Bandi
On 11th November 2005, with the co-operation of Chamber and Commerce, ASH distributed food rations, blankets, tents and other household items to the affectees of the university ground in Chella Bandi.

2. School Kits
On 5 November 2005, again with Suffa Foundation, ASH distributed 125 school kits in Muzaffarabad's private and Government schools.

3. Food Packages
On 3 January 2006, ASH distributed food package, Blankets, Cloth kits, tents and sheets for 400 families of Dahnni Mie Sahiba, Thore, Neela Dandi, Borepaien, Challpani and sheed galli with the cooperation of Red crescent Society AJK and Red Cross.

4. Saman Bandi
On 27 January 2006, ASH, with the co-operation of Suffa Foundation, distributed food ration items, blankets and other household objects to victims.

5. Work with disadvantaged women
On 18 February 2006, ASH and ICRC distributed food rations, blankets, sand and basic essential household items to 30 widows. ASH also distributed 100 hygiene kits for the female community of Chella Bandi, with the co-operation of Kashmir International Relief Fund.

6. Blankets and Cloth Kits
In 2007, ASH distributed 150 blankets and cloth kits to widows of Muzaffrabad with the co-operation of The World Assembly Of Muslim Youth.

7. Water supply
Together with KYDS Trust UK funding, ASH economically and efficiently designed and implemented a clean and safe spring water system for the remote village of Dahnni Mie Sahiba in June 2008. Due to ASH's excellent work here, KYDS Trust has discussed working again with ASH on several water and other, bigger projects.

8. Shelter construction
On 22 June 2008, ASH was instrumental in coordinating and supporting Al-Sakina Foundation (Saudi Arabia) in the construction of Phase I of Al-Sakina's shelter project in just 45 days. Fifty temporary homes were built and given to victims of the earthquake who lost their homes. Phase II will commence in a similar manner toward the end of 2008.

9. Vocation Training for women
In 22 July 2008, The World Assembly Of Muslim Youth coordinated with ASH a 12-day handicraft training program for women in Dahnni Mie Sahiba village. The crafts included vase-making, lamp-making, embroidery and clothes-making.

Previous work conducted by Anjuman Salar-e-Hawa (ASH) pre-2005 Earthquake

1. Empowerment of women in various villages
ASH established community organizations in the villages of Dahnni Mie Sahiba, Gotar, Thore, Tharkahan Bandi, Bore Muzaffr Shah, Seri Dara, Challpani, Noora Sarri, Harama and Moriyan. This work is ongoing.

2. Establishment of Vocational Training Centers:
ASH established vocational centers for women with the coordination of ILM in the villages of Gotar, Tarkhan Bandi and Dahnni Mie Sahiba. The vocations included knitting and embroidery to promote economic improvement.

3. Modern English Medium School:
On 5 April 2003 ASH established an English medium school at Dahnni Mie Sahiba and Thore villages with the co-operation and coordination of local support. The aim of the project was to improve the education standard and provide opportunities to vulnerable and needy children. The school operatedwith a generous help of volunteers to provide free education to the pupils.

ASH also established an Adult Literacy Center for illiterate women in Gotar and Thore for three months. At the end of the programme, the women's literacyhad improved significantly.

4. Income Generating and Livelihood Programme:
ASH arranged this income-generating training between 2003 and 2005 in Dahnni Mie Sahiba and its surrounding villages, with the support of ILM. Training consisted of poultry livestock management, gardening, plantation and nurseries. Through this program, 200 women were provided training in different skills.

5. Water and Sanitation
In conjunction with the 250-strong village community, ASH constructed water tanks to provide fresh and drinkable water at Gotar in 2005.

6. Environment
ASH planted 20 canals (≈5 acres) of land with trees in an attempt to clean the environment of pollution. This was achieved in 2005 with the coordination of Forest Department. In addition, ASH established a nursery at Dahnni Mie Sahiba with the help of ILM.

7. Health Activities:
ASH organized medical camps for the treatment of rural area women and families.