Human Development Foundation

Monthly Progress Report - March 2004

General Highlights

• HDF signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Education for All (EFA) Wing, Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan. Under this project HDF will open 50 Adult Literacy Centers in seven different Villages of Islamabad. EFA Wing, Ministry of Education had organized Teachers’ Training workshop from March 9th to 16, 2004 for the potential teachers identified by the partner organizations. 50 teachers including 11 male and 39 females identified by HDF have successfully completed this training. The training workshop was organized at “National Institute of Science and Technology Education (NISTE) Islamabad.
  
• Regional Heads' Meeting was held at National Office, Rawalpindi. The Progress of the previous year was reviewed critically, issues were discussed and new strategies were devised for improving progress in the current year. Strategic plans and annual plans were also discussed and finalized. The "Sequence of Actions" for "Performance Improvement Program" and some administrative issues were also discussed and finalized.
  
• New recruitments were held for some vacant positions at National Office i.e. PO-Credit, PO-Finance, PO-MER and two monitoring officers (one male and other female).

Human Resource Development

• A three days training workshop was held from March 3 - 5, 2004 on "Proposal Writing and Project Planning" at National Office Rawalpindi. Senior officials of National Office and Regional Heads from all the regions participated in the training workshop.
  
• 38 female and 29 male members of Rahim Yar Khan, Karachi Kachi Abadi and Shamsabad regions were trained in "Community Management Skills" during the reporting month of March 04. Other than this three more technical trainings named "Basic Garments", "Advance Garments" and "Embroidery" were arranged in Karachi Kachi Abadi and Lahore regions for 32 female members of 9 DOs.

Community Physical Infrastructure (CPI)

• 8 out of 15 handpumps and one project of Water Course Lining have been completed in Mardan Region. In the same Region work is in progress for 7 Nos of hand pumps, 1 project of water course lining and one project of drainage. Two more proposals have been prepared and submitted to Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) for two projects of Drainage, which will benefit four DOs of Mardan Region i.e. Ittehad, Mainz Kalay, Sahar and Amin Abad.
  
• In Rahim Yar Khan Region (RYK), 75% work has been completed for Water Course Lining in Basti Khando. Proposals have also been prepared and submitted to Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) for 1 project of Water course Lining and 15 numbers of Handpumps.

Education

• Pakistan day was commemorated on March 23, 2004 in all the regions of HDF with dignity and honor.
  
• In Mardan Region a second batch of 62 students from HDF-TMF Schools including 20 boys and 42 girls appeared in the Government's Board Examination. The top two positions were secured by two students of HDF-TMF Schools of villages Shehbaz Khan and Said Munir Khothey. Overall pass percentage result was 85%.
  
• Final Examination of 39 HDF-TMF Schools of Mardan Region were successfully completed in the month of March 04. The result percentage from class Nursery to four was more than satisfactory i.e. 79%, 91%, 95%, 92% and 85% respectively. Local community arranged prize distribution ceremonies in villages Aminabad, Muslimabad and Khora Guli Bagh. The local community and parents appreciated the hard work of teachers and role of HDF-TMF in community development.
  
• In four Child Friendly Schools of Karachi Kachi Abadi, annual examination were held for class one and two. 126 students out of 155 were successfully promoted to the next classes. The prize distribution ceremony was combined with Pakistan Day. A special function was arranged by PTAs in which teachers from all the Child Friendly Schools and students of four schools were invited. Students presented speeches, tableaus and National songs. Prizes were distributed among the students with outstanding performance.

Health

• Linkages were established with District Hospital for the provision of Polio vaccines in Zhob Region. District hospital provided Polio Drops which were given to 460 children of village Nasarabad of HDF program area.
  
• 432 shots of BCG, DPT and MMR were given to the children in Village Ara of Islamabad Region through Basic Health Unit.

Finance

• The external auditing process which was started in February 2004 has been successfully completed in Lahore, Rahim Yar Khan, Shamsabad and Karachi Kachi Abadi regions. External Audit is in progress at National Office, Mardan and Zhob regions.

Visits and Visitors

• A supervision mission of Worldbank with some senior officials of Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) accompanied by COO and relevant PMs from National Office visited Mardan Region. The conduct of the visit started with a detailed briefing by COO about HDF with particular emphasis on the partnership aspects with PPAF. A specific briefing about the regional details was also given by RPM. The team attended DO meetings, interviewed some successful borrowers and visited some Community Physical Infrastructure Projects of Hand Pumps and Irrigation Channels. The female guests visited the "Secondary and Elementary School" of HDF and appreciated the achievements of girl students. The mission was also served with a traditional dinner followed by a musical program of folk songs by the community.
  
• Maqbool Allahi Khawaja (MAQ Associate Management Consultant and Trainer) introduced to HDF by Mr. Gulzar Ahmad (HDF representative in Canada) visited HDF National Office during Regional Heads' Meeting. He met with staff and discussed some HRM related concepts.
  
• PPAF-II World Bank funded Project Launch Workshop was attended by COO and PM-Economic Development on March 26, 2004. As a prelude to this workshop they also attended a dinner hosted by Worldbank.
  
• PM-Economic Development attended an experience sharing workshop organized by Khushalibank at Karachi on March 10, 2004. This was an excellent opportunity for HDF to have a close interaction with Khushalibank and its other Partner Organizations.
  
• HRD-Coordinator National Office visited Zhob Region for interviews and recruitment of HRD Coordinator at Regional level.

SPECIAL NEWS OF THE MONTH

• On March 18, 2004 a female patient came to CHC Kalea of Islamabad Region. She was profusely bleeding for 4 hours. On examination it was found that it was a case of incomplete abortion of 2 months of gestational amenorrhoea. Due to heavy bleeding she was going in hypovolemic shock. She was given emergency treatment i.e. I/V line maintained and preparation of E & C done. Inspite of maintained I/V line, her clinical situation was worsening and her BP was dangerously low. Referral was needed but she was unaccompanied by any of her attendant. So HDF Regional team arranged her evacuation to a nearby well equipped private hospital. She was immediately operated upon and thus her life was saved. Next day the husband of that lady came to CHC and thanked Regional Health Team of HDF. The Regional Health Team rescued that woman in time and she was saved by the grace of Almighty Allah.

SECTOR WISE DETAILS OF PROGRAMS