Social Sector and Gender Issues
SS&Gi is a section of HN TPO. In Social Sector component, gender and education are the emerging expertise of HN TPO, which are expanding with very promising results. Since its inception, HN TPO had separate section, which focuses on the women specific issues from gender peHN TPOective. The Partnership with Novib was an opportunity for HN TPO to initiate the process of gender mainstreaming at the institutional and field level. Gender Focus programme of Novib also helped in building capacity of the staff of HN TPO and engender the organisational culture and programme for greater. The SS&GI section of HN TPO started its operations in 1996 under the social development programme, and learning from past experiences that development can only be broad based if equal opportunities are provided to the community to actively participate in the process. SS&GI works on a three tier - Education, Health and Gender - and has specialized programs in each sector.
Education
HN TPO initiated its education programme in December 1995 through establishing adult literacy centers on a pilot basis in Charssada district. The communities realizing the benefit of education asked for support from HN TPO in planning a programme to directly address their need for education of their children. Consequently in 1996 a survey was carried out to assess the need for education services. Out of 200 community organizations from two of HN TPO regions there was a need for 129 schools. Keeping in view the availability of funds 30 schools were established with the financial assistance of SAP I in District Mansehra.
Keeping in view the increasing demand of education from the rural communities and scope and nature of work, HN TPO formulated an education strategy in March 2002 which promises the maximum participation of girl child and strengthening the existing structure of the government education system.
HN TPO has a multi-prong strategy for qualitative and quantitative expansion of its education program.
In July 2002, HN TPO and the United Nation's Children Education fund (UNICEF) also signed an Agreement for the Implementation of the Project titled as "All Children in School (ACIS)". The objective was to increase enrollment of children at primary level with a prime focus on girl child through the involvement of both the government and communities.
Based on the experience gained through community based schools and in the light of education strategy, HN TPO has engaged devolved structure of district government in developing district education plan. HN TPO so far has assisted district government of Mansehra With the assistance of Education Sector Reform Assistance-USAID HN TPO has been able to implement DEP in district Upper Dir with the project title as "District Education Plan". The project period is two years commencing September 2003. The project goal and objectives are designed in the light of targets set by the Government of Pakistan in Dakar
Till date HN TPO has established 111 community based schools in district Mansehra with the assistance of UNICEF and Learning For Life (UK
In future HN TPO is looking forward to be more focused on the performance issue of the schools. In this regard linkages with other organization working in education sector have been established. Training manuals will be developed keeping in view the need of the teachers. Implementation of school development plans will be carried out with the assistance of PTAs, local government and the communities.
HN TPO Education Programme can broadly be categorized in to three major phases:
Phase I: Community Based Schools Programme
Phase II: Establishing and strengthening relationship with UNICEF
Phase III: From Non Formal to Formal Education Programme
Phase II: Establishing and strengthening relationship with UNICEF
Phase III: From Non Formal to Formal Education Programme
Funding of the CBS
In 1996, under SAP I, HN TPO established 30 community-based schools in Mansehra Region. In these schools, primary level education is imparted to both boys and girls. The schools are established in the areas where there are no functional government schools within the vicinity of 1 ½ Km. The objective was to demonstrate a model based on the concept of Community Based School (CBS) for further replication through out the province. Also to improve upon the functioning of primary schools in the province by addressing the prevalent shortcomings and inadequacies faced by the state run school system.
Objectives of CBS
- To demonstrate replicable models for further adoption by provincial government.
- To ensure the community participation/ownership.
- To enable and motivate the children toward learning.
After a period of 2 years further funding materialized in the shape of Learning for Life, a UK National Savings Center
HN TPO is investing this fund in collaboration with the communities. Interest earned on the fund is contributing to the running of the Schools i.e. mainly to teachers’ salaries. By the end of the project period the schools funds will be transferred to the additional funds raised by the community to add to the OTG. The OTG would be managed by the communities and generate enough income to support and sustain their schools.
Through their contributions, the rural communities have shown a growing commitment towards education. They have also demonstrated good financial management skills through independent management of the OTGs.
Through their contributions, the rural communities have shown a growing commitment towards education. They have also demonstrated good financial management skills through independent management of the OTGs.
Features of the Education Program
HN TPO has 70 community based schools functioning in the project area Mansehra. Primarily girls schools for communities in remote areas. But primary school age boys can also attend these CBS. Previously funded by government for duration of 2 years under SAP PDP . Current funding by Learning For Life (A UK based Non Govt Organization).
15 schools will be run on recurrent cost basis while the other 15 on endowment fund (one time grant) basis. Community has to raise a matching grant to supplement the fund.
These schools are managed through the village education committee (vec). Both men & women comprise the vec. Teacher is always local preferably a woman. Building is allotted by the community.
Present enrollment is 652 in mansehra region. (ask me the updated data)
HN TPO's education program has addressed problems of those children with or no access to education specifically for girls. As for the quality of education in Community Based Schools, it is being pursued by ensuring teacher training, community participation and intensive monitoring.
HN TPO has utilized its education program as a platform to address primary education issues in the province in a holistic manner. The program improves the quality of education in CBS schools and provides access primarily to girls in far-flung village Mansehra. During the last six years, HN TPO experienced similar kind of problems that other organisations all over the country have confronted with both formal and non-formal schools i.e. quality education and sustainability of the schools.
In order to stream line its interventions in the education sector, HN TPO has developed an education strategy in consultation with Sudhaar (an organization working on Education in Punjab ) in March 2002. HN TPO has a multi-prong strategy for qualitative and quantitative expansion of its education program. Even though the program is modest in scale, it has nevertheless given enough field level experience to HN TPO staff members to feed its learning into a broader program. The current education experience provides a viable platform for looking at multi-dimensional expansion at different levels.
Managing the CBS
HN TPO works through community organizations and establishes committees for each school. In order to have the equal participation of men and women in the promotion of education, a six member Village Education Committee (VEC) comprising 3 women and 3 men manages each school. VEC roles and responsibilities includes selecting site for the schools, advising on administrative matters, determining fee structure and operating school funds, determining teachers salaries, checking maintenance of buildings, equipment and school supplies assist the teachers and monitor functioning of the schools.
Under this project communities are assisted in managing the schooling of their children themselves with the support and guidance from the HN TPO. This process ensures ownership of the school by the community and puts control in the hands of those who have the greatest stake in it.
Under this project communities are assisted in managing the schooling of their children themselves with the support and guidance from the HN TPO. This process ensures ownership of the school by the community and puts control in the hands of those who have the greatest stake in it.
Health
The general objective of health programme of HN TPO is "to decrease the preventive health problems of the communities".
HN TPO's health strategy is essentially a three-pronged one i.e.
1) Creating health awareness among the rural community;
2) Training of women and men health workers;
3) Establishing linkages with existing health services, mainly government.
The general objective of health programme of HN TPO is "to decrease the preventive health problems of the communities".
HN TPO's health strategy is essentially a three-pronged one i.e.
1) Creating health awareness among the rural community;
2) Training of women and men health workers;
3) Establishing linkages with existing health services, mainly government.
The Health Focus Programme works within the social organization framework of the HN TPO, i.e. MCOs and WCOs are actively involved in selection of community health workers and these work through the village forums in disseminating health messages, delivering health services and linking up communities to health service agencies (government and non-government).
CommunityHealthAwareness
The health awareness component largely concentrates on educating women about basic health and hygiene practices. This is done by the HN TPO health assistants in the regions as well as through trained health motivators and community health workers i.e. both women and men (F/MHWs).
Community health awareness includes discussions and observations regarding community health issues in order to enhance the capacity of MCOs/WCOs to respond to their problems. Health messages are disseminated in MCOs/WCOs meetings by the health workers, as well as by HN TPO staff in the Managers' Conference, Health Workers' Conferences and Health field days.
CommunityHealthAwareness
The health awareness component largely concentrates on educating women about basic health and hygiene practices. This is done by the HN TPO health assistants in the regions as well as through trained health motivators and community health workers i.e. both women and men (F/MHWs).
Community health awareness includes discussions and observations regarding community health issues in order to enhance the capacity of MCOs/WCOs to respond to their problems. Health messages are disseminated in MCOs/WCOs meetings by the health workers, as well as by HN TPO staff in the Managers' Conference, Health Workers' Conferences and Health field days.
HN TPO Health Programme
The general objective of this programme is “to decrease the preventive health problems of the communities”. Specific objectives of the programme are:
¨ To upgrade the knowledge and skills through community health awareness, and thus reduce morbidity and mortality in disadvantaged rural women and children;
¨ To train female and male health workers in primary health care in the programme area;
¨ To establish an effective liaison with those governmental and non-governmental organizations involved in health education, family planning and working for the improvement of water/sanitation situation in the communities in order to further link them with community organizations.
¨ To train female and male health workers in primary health care in the programme area;
¨ To establish an effective liaison with those governmental and non-governmental organizations involved in health education, family planning and working for the improvement of water/sanitation situation in the communities in order to further link them with community organizations.
HN TPO's health strategy is essentially a three-pronged one i.e.
- Creating health awareness among the rural community
- Training of women and men health workers
- Establishing linkages with existing health services, mainly government.
The Health Focus Programme works within the social organization framework of the HN TPO, i.e. MCOs and WCOs are actively involved in selection of community health workers and these work through the village forums in disseminating health messages, delivering health services and linking up communities to health service agencies (government and non-government).
Training of Health Workers
The training component of the health programme concentrates on developing community health workers and health motivators in MCOs and WCOs. This component is largely executed through the staff of government Health Department as resource persons. The HN TPO health staff are instrumental in curriculum design for the training, they are also responsible for contacting government and other resource persons who take training sessions, e.g. the Dost Welfare Foundation delivering lectures on problems of drug addiction, a serious issue in the NWFP and Family Planning Association of Pakistan (FPAP) supporting HN TPO health component in bringing about awareness on reproductive health issues. The health workers also establish linkages with government health infrastructure and other NGOs.
The role of the female health workers includes clean and safe deliveries, general health education, and facilitation of linkages with health and family planning outlets. MCO/WCO members according to specified criteria, ensuring the confidence of the community and their willingness to serve the community at large, nominate trainees. After receiving training, the health workers are paid for their services by the community, either in cash or kind.
Linkages with Health Agencies
An important objective of HN TPO's Health programme is to establish and strengthen linkages between the MCOs/WCOs and government health/ NGO health facilities. In this regard, the government is extremely co-operative and has highlighted the need to work through these grassroots forums.
In the family planning sectors, the HN TPO links up WCOs to the Government Population Welfare Department (PWD) and Family Planning Association of Pakistan by undertaking joint visits to WCOs with their staff.
The linkage component of the programme also includes facilitating the work of government EPI teams at the village level as well as holding field days during which various resource persons deliver lectures on health issues to MCOs and WCOs.
Uptill January 2005 more than 900 Traditional Birth Attendants TBAs have been trained in the communities through a 15-days UNICEF training module for TBAs training. Additionally, over 97 Male Health Workers (MHWs) have also been trained.
Similarly Health Field days have been carried out in all the Five Regions i.e Mansehra, WCOs have been linked with the Family Planning Association of Pakistan FPAP and PWD. Expanded Immunization Campaigns have been carried out in the selected programme areas. Medical Camps have also been arranged for the benefit of rural poor.
The training component of the health programme concentrates on developing community health workers and health motivators in MCOs and WCOs. This component is largely executed through the staff of government Health Department as resource persons. The HN TPO health staff are instrumental in curriculum design for the training, they are also responsible for contacting government and other resource persons who take training sessions, e.g. the Dost Welfare Foundation delivering lectures on problems of drug addiction, a serious issue in the NWFP and Family Planning Association of Pakistan (FPAP) supporting HN TPO health component in bringing about awareness on reproductive health issues. The health workers also establish linkages with government health infrastructure and other NGOs.
The role of the female health workers includes clean and safe deliveries, general health education, and facilitation of linkages with health and family planning outlets. MCO/WCO members according to specified criteria, ensuring the confidence of the community and their willingness to serve the community at large, nominate trainees. After receiving training, the health workers are paid for their services by the community, either in cash or kind.
Linkages with Health Agencies
An important objective of HN TPO's Health programme is to establish and strengthen linkages between the MCOs/WCOs and government health/ NGO health facilities. In this regard, the government is extremely co-operative and has highlighted the need to work through these grassroots forums.
In the family planning sectors, the HN TPO links up WCOs to the Government Population Welfare Department (PWD) and Family Planning Association of Pakistan by undertaking joint visits to WCOs with their staff.
The linkage component of the programme also includes facilitating the work of government EPI teams at the village level as well as holding field days during which various resource persons deliver lectures on health issues to MCOs and WCOs.
Uptill January 2005 more than 900 Traditional Birth Attendants TBAs have been trained in the communities through a 15-days UNICEF training module for TBAs training. Additionally, over 97 Male Health Workers (MHWs) have also been trained.
Similarly Health Field days have been carried out in all the Five Regions i.e Mansehra, WCOs have been linked with the Family Planning Association of Pakistan FPAP and PWD. Expanded Immunization Campaigns have been carried out in the selected programme areas. Medical Camps have also been arranged for the benefit of rural poor.
Participatory Infrastructure
HN TPO has developed rich experience of working in participatory infrastructure with communities in road building, water and sanitation, irrigation and small dams, micro hydro electricity. HN TPO helps communities implement 350 projects each year at the cost of Rs 100 million each year.
Micro Finance
HN TPO has addressed the issues of information system, policies, products and human resources which have plagued its performance in the past years and is a leading player in this field in NWFP. It has distributed over Rs240 million of credit to small farmers. Its programme today however remains a small and takes off likely to remain small while it is putting its new systems in place.
Micro Finance Development for Rural Communities
HN TPO from its experience and understanding of the target group understands that poverty reduction can only be possible if it is addressed with a multidimensional poverty reduction strategy. This may be in the form of imparting skill enhancement training with low cost training programs, providing financial support in the form of loans, improving physical infrastructure by not only constructing farm to market roads but also fulfilling the dire need of rural water supply and proper sanitation. Moreover, providing assistance in developing social infrastructure is also necessary to address the issue of poverty, especially in rural areas.
This may be by creating awareness on rural health, education, and family planning through social mobilization. HN TPO thus employs an approach where MCO/WCO are identified as vehicles for building the self help capacity and potential of the communities. These organizations are also the vehicles to identify and undertake a variety of diverse developmental projects related to, for instances, microfinance, infrastructure development, natural resource management, enterprise promotion and social development. HN TPO has its microfinance operations spread currently in 60 union councils of the 8 districts of NWFP.
Rural populations in Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) are mainly engaged in small-scale agriculture or agriculture-related activities and are generally poorer than their urban counterparts.
No comments:
Post a Comment