Visit of EU Mission in Larkana & Kamber Shahdadkot Jan 18 & 19- 2022
Mr Ivan Borisavljevic (First counsellor-European Union Delegation) along with the CEO-SRSO, Secretory Planning and Development (Advisor SRSO), Government officials, and a team of SUCCESS Program visited different villages of district Larkana and Kamber Shahdadkot. The purpose of the visit was to witness the intervention-based impact on the community’s life over the years.In the Larkana district, the delegation witnessed CPI schemes in different villages, the handloom production units of BDGs (Khadi, Balhereji, and Taani) along with BDG Sona Hath (Clay art) and ALNS centers were visited. Mr Ivan seemed quite interested in the manual weaving of shawls.Mr. Ivan attended the inauguration ceremony of the women’s business center (Meena Bazar). He gave his valuable feedback and appreciated the efforts of the Rural Community.The delegation participated in the LSO conference in Kamber Shahdadkot. Mr. Ivan conducted a dialogue with community leaders. The community leaders shared their life-changing experiences and insightful success stories under the SUCCESS Program.In the end, Mr Ivan applauded the efforts and enthusiasm of beneficiaries and the SRSO team and emphasized consistent hard work for sustainable change, women empowerment, and rural development. Back
BDGs Received Cheques of Matching Grants from International Trade Center (ITC)
05 Business Development Groups (BDGs) from Thatta and Khairpur districts received cheques of matching grants from the International Trade Center (ITC) in a ceremony organized at Beach Luxury Hotel Karachi for distribution of matching grants to small & medium enterprises in Sindh.These BDGs were formed and supported by SRSO under the Sindh Govt funded Peoples’ Poverty Reduction Program.ITC has disbursed 12 million PKR among 12 Business groups of Karachi, Thatta, and Khairpur under the Project Growth for Rural Advancement and sustainable progress (GRASP). GRASP is a six-year project designed to reduce poverty in Pakistan and aims to uplift Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) The project is implemented by the International Trade Centre and funded by the delegation of the European Union to Pakistan. Back
Awareness sessions conducted on Enterprise Development Program
Awareness sessions conducted in six districts of Sindh on Enterprise Development Program. SRSO is initiating a project Enterprise Development Program (SRSO-EDP) to alleviate poverty in Sindh province. The program is initiated in a partnership with, Government of Sindh, SRSO and IdeaGist.The objective of this program is to develop a micro/small business/incubation program that can help start small business through training of 300 individuals in six districts of Sindh (Khairpur, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Thatta and Badin). Back
Inauguration of Community Cluster School Qaiser Khan Gujarani in Kashmore-Kandhkot.
SRSO has organized School inauguration ceremony at newly constructed building of Community Cluster School Qaiser Khan Gujarani in Kashmore-Kandhkot.The school was inaugurated by Mir Shabbir Ali Khan Bijarani (Provincial Minister for Mines & Mineral Development). Representatives of Education department and Mr. Dittal Kalhoro(CEO-SRSO), teachers, notables of the area and SRSO officials also present on the occasion. The ribbon cutting ceremony was carried out along with the round of the new school building and interaction with students. Mr. Shabeer Ali appreciated the efforts of SRSO in providing quality education to students by establishing a well-furnished school building equipped with interactive learning resources.This Community Cluster School is equipped with furnished classrooms with flexible furniture, library, science and computer lab, courtyard and playground . The school built with the financial Support of Sindh Education Foundation(SEF) and will be maintained by SRSO education team with the commitment to not only bringing out of school children in schools but also ensuring the provision of quality education. The project aims to increase public schools in selected areas of the Sindh province, with a special focus on bringing back children who have dropped out of schools. Through this public-private partnership approach, these innovative solutions help improve school governance and quality of teaching. Children will receive free and quality education. Back
Adult Literacy & Numeracy Skill (ALNS) Centers in Larkana & Kamber Shahdadkot
Adult Literacy & Numeracy Skills (ALNS) is one of the key components of the SUCCESS Program funded by the European Union.SRSO has established 190 centers and enrolled 38,000 rural women of the Larkana and Kamber –Shahdadkot districts to provide Adult literacy & Numeracy Skills. The goal is to provide basic reading, writing, and numeracy skills training to young, adult, and elderly women, in the form of non-formal literacy classes and to foster an active social engagement of community members. Resource material has been developed by the Education and Literacy Department-Govt. of Sindh. Back
Inland Study Tour of 1st Mid-Career Management Course (MCMC).
SRSO hosted an Achievements & Experience sharing workshop with participants of Training Management & Research Wing’s(TMR) 1st Mid-Career Management Course (MCMC) As part of their Inland Study Tour to Sukkur and Khairpur. The living legend Mr. Shoaib Sultan Khan (Chairman of Rural Support Program Network-RSPN) was the chief guest on the occasion and conducted the session. Mr. Pervez Ahmed Chandio (DG-PPRP-GoS) and Dr. Aamir Ansari (Group Leader) also grace the occasion with their presence.CEO- SRSO Mr. MD Kalhoro welcomed the guests. Trainees shared their observations, and recommendations based on their field visit in Khairpur like the formation and strengthening of community institutions and impacts on the lives of rural women in the shape of economic empowerment and community development.They appreciated the best practices taken under the GoS-funded Peoples’ Poverty Reduction Program and found the visit quite a learning experience.Participants of 1st MCMC in Sindh also paid visit in five villages of district Khairpur Mirs and interacted with community Leaders and activists. They witnessed the small-scale enterprises established by rural women and visited Low-cost houses with allied facilities (Latrine, Hand Pump, and Solar system) in the villages. Rural women narrated their success stories of transforming their lives by increasing their financial capital, and social capital, working for plantations, and improving nutrition through Kitchen Gardening and imparted vocational training on e-commerce, digitalization, and mechanical trades that has increased their source of income and made them successful entrepreneurs. Back
IFAD Country Director for Pakistan Mr. Hubert Boirard Visited Kashmore-Kandhkot
The team of the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) led by the Country Director for Pakistan Mr. Hubert Boirard interacted with rural communities of District Kashmore Kandhkot who are transforming their lives and livelihoods through Ehsaas Amdan/ #NPGP and is progressing towards sustainable development. PPAF’s Senior Group Head Graduation Group Ms. Samia Liaquat Ali Khan with other team members from PPAF, Muhammad Dittal Kalhoro (CEO-SRSO), and other senior officials also participated in the dialogue. The dialogue was organized at village Ghulam Qadir Khokhar in UC Kashmore Colony 1 Beneficiaries of NPGP who had received productive assets shared their journey of success from extreme poverty to sustainable livelihood with the support of Ehsas Aamdan/ NPGP, and beneficiaries of Interest-Free Loan to set up an enterprise, explained its utilization, recovery and plan for expanding their enterprises. SRSO is implementing the National Poverty Graduation Program (NPGP) in partnership with the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and with financial support from the Government of Pakistan & International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Back
In Umerkot Provision of Portable H2O wheels is Blessing for Humanity
500 H2O wheels distributed in rural communities of Union Council Faqeer Abdullah and Haji Mian Shah , donated by “Tayaba Welfare Organization” and funded by Bayer Pakistan, which aims to improve the lives of unprivileged rural communities of district Umerkot by providing effective solutions to overcome the water-scarcity . Ms. Nida Yousaf Sheikh -Acting CEO of Tayaba Welfare Organization was grateful to SRSO management for providing implementation support and impactful partnership.H2O stands for “Help 2 Others” which is a specially designed water-carrying device .The water wheel is simple in design and revolutionary in impact , has built in water storage capacity of 40 liters . Provision of H2O wheels resulted in reduction of physical stress, saved time, and the hassle-free collection and transportation of almost 5 times more water than the capacity of a traditional clay pot.Communities of Umerkot are grateful to Tayaba welfare organization and SRSO because this simple innovation has paved the way for a better, easier and healthier rural life. Back
Visit of SRSO-Board of Directors (BoD) in Thatta
A delegation of Members of the SRSO-Board of Directors (BoD) visited different initiatives under the Government of Sindh-funded Peoples’ Poverty Reduction Program (PPRP) in district Thatta. The delegation was comprised of Ms. Sadiqa Salahuddin, Ms. Raheema Panhwar, Mr. Aazar Ayaz, Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Abro, Mr. Ghulam Sarwar Khero, Dr. Waheed Umrani, and Mr. Muhammad Dittal Kalhoro (CEO SRSO). Mr. Parvez Ahmed Chandio(DG Directorate PPRP), Mr. Muhammad Siddique Palijo (Deputy District Education Officer Thatta) Mr Khuda Bux Behrani(Deputy Director Social Welfare Department Thatta), Mr. Niaz Ahmed Memon(Additional Director Social Welfare Thatta) and other officials of Social Welfare Department have also accompanied them.They visited different interventions of PPRP, in village Qaim Shoro of UC Jhangri, like low cast houses(LCH), there are 102 LCH have been provided in the Union Council, met with beneficiaries of Community Investment Fund(CIF)- Revolving Fund), Vocational Training Programme and Enterprise Development. Also attended the Managerial Activist Conference and Rural women Leaders of Community Institutions (COs, VOs & LSOs) from different villages participated in the conference and shared the progress of their Village and community-level initiatives under different interventions of PPRP that have changed their lives. 253 female community leaders and activists participated in the conference(MAC). Back
Supporting the EPI MR- Campaign for Social Mobilization and Community Engagement
UNICEF has engaged the Rural Support Programs Network (RSPN) to support the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in social mobilization activities in the selected districts across Pakistan. SRSO is supporting the EPI for social mobilization and community engagement to ensure community awareness and acceptance of the Measles Rubella Campaign in three districts of Upper Sindh: Kashmore@Kandhkot, Jacobabad and Kamber-Shahdadkot. Under the campaign, SRSO will undertake different activities to support the MR campaign in pre-, during the post phases in these three districts through engaging CRPs and LSOs in collaboration with the District Health Department and EIP Program.To create awareness and impart information about the planned MR- campaign, SRSO is conducting different activities including advocacy seminars, community awareness sessions, visits to schools and madrasas, market committees and mass announcements at religious places, to get support from all stakeholders and ensure their active participation. Back