CLOSE
Authors Posts by comms

comms

933 POSTS 0 COMMENTS
https://www.communityworldservice.asia

40

On June 30, 2026, Community World Service Asia (CWSA) hosted a Project Completion Ceremony in Umerkot, celebrating more than a decade of impactful community transformation under the project “Improving Health and Education Services in Migration-Prone Union Councils.”

Implemented from 2015 to 2026 in close partnership with Act for Peace (AFP), DFAT–AusAid, and local district authorities, the initiative significantly expanded access to quality healthcare and basic education for highly vulnerable, climate-and economic-migration-affected communities. By institutionalising systemic support alongside the District Health, Education, and Administrative departments of Umerkot, the project built resilient, community-led foundations for long-term, sustainable service delivery.

Health Project Implementation Phases

The project was implemented in three phases:

  • Phase I (2015–2018) Support was provided in three Rural Health Centres (RHCs)
  • Phase II (2018–2021) Support was provided to two Taluka Hospitals (THQs) Pithoro and Samaro
  • Phase III (2022–2026) Four Government Dispensaries (GDs) were strengthened in three union councils Kaplore, Sekhro and Faqeer Abdullah
    • Government Dispensary Ramsar
    • Government Dispensary Jhamrari
    • Government Dispensary Cheelband
    • Government Dispensary Kaplore

Following the project’s completion, all four Government Dispensaries were formally handed over to the District Health Department to ensure their continued management and sustainability.

Key Health Achievements

From 2015 to 2026, through the project, Community World Service Asia (CWSA), expanded community-based health and resilience programming positively impacting over 700,000 people across underserved areas in District Umerkot.

To ensure equitable access to dignified healthcare and strengthen Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) outcomes, the project focused on system strengthening and community empowerment by:

  • Delivering Comprehensive Primary Healthcare: Providing essential preventive and curative services, including free medicines via multi-disciplinary teams of Medical Officers, Lady Health Visitors, Medical Technicians, and Social Mobilisers.
  • Strengthening Local Health Systems: Upgrading and renovating government health facilities while building the technical capacities of local healthcare providers.
  • Fostering Local Ownership: Establishing and mentoring village-level Health Management Committees (HMCs) to promote community-led health governance.
  • Expanding Immunisation & Prevention: Mobilising local communities to support routine immunisations and district-wide polio campaigns in close coordination with the District Health Department.

Reaching the Most Remote Communities

In parallel, CWSA partnered with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) to deploy Mobile Health Units (MHUs) across the drought-affected Union Councils of Kaplore, Sekhro, and Faqeer Abdullah. By taking primary healthcare, MNCH care, health education, and referral pathways directly to remote and isolated settlements, these mobile teams bridged critical gaps where static health infrastructure was unavailable.

Education Achievements

Alongside its healthcare interventions, the project made a significant contribution to improving access to quality education in District Umerkot through a comprehensive approach that strengthened enrolment, teaching quality, school governance and the learning environment.

The project supported 350 government primary schools, benefiting approximately 70,000 students across the district. School enrolment campaigns encouraged out-of-school children to enrol and attend classes regularly, while community awareness sessions promoted girls’ education by engaging parents, teachers and local leaders to address barriers to education.

To enhance students’ overall development, the project organised extracurricular activities that promoted confidence and active participation in school life.

In collaboration with the District Education Department, approximately 4,000 government primary school teachers received training in inclusive education and multi-grade teaching methodologies. The training equipped teachers with practical skills to manage diverse classrooms and adopt more interactive, child-centred teaching approaches, contributing to improved engagement and learning outcomes.

The project also strengthened school governance by building the capacity of 200 School Management Committee (SMC) representatives. Training focused on governance, monitoring, community mobilisation and effective resources management, enabling SMCs to play a more active role in improving school performance and accountability.

To improve the learning environment, Community World Service Asia provided participating schools with essential teaching and learning resources, including whiteboards, shelves, seating mats, chairs, water coolers, stationary, multi-grade teaching kits, school bags, water bottles, sports equipment, swings and audio-learning devices.

These resources enhanced classroom conditions by equipping teachers and students with the tools needed for effective teaching and learning. Recreational facilities, including swings and sports equipment, also helped create more child-friendly learning spaces that support students’ well-being. Together, these interventions have contributed to safer, more inclusive and better-equipped schools across District Umerkot.

Marking a Milestone in Sustainable Community Transformation: Project Handover in Umerkot

The Project Completion Ceremony in Umerkot served as a pivotal platform to reflect on a decade of community-led achievements, honour local partnerships, and solidify commitments toward sustaining essential services across District Umerkot.

The gathering brought together a broad coalition of local stakeholders, including representatives from the District Administration, District Health and Education Departments, the Immunisation Department, the Community Midwife School Umerkot, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, civil society partners, educators, and community leaders.

A Decade of Impact and Transition

The ceremony opened with reflections from CWSA representatives and a retrospective presentation highlighting ten years of integrated health and education progress. A featured documentary illustrated the project’s journey, demonstrating how localised interventions have built lasting community resilience and institutional strength.

Key stakeholders highlighted the transformative shifts achieved over the past decade:

  • Strengthened Primary Healthcare: Systematic support to public health facilities expanded Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) care, routine immunisations, and emergency responses to climate shocks like floods and heatwaves.
  • Equitable, Quality Education: Teacher training and interactive learning methodologies improved classroom standards, boosted overall student enrollment, and significantly increased girls’ access to education.
  • Institutional Sustainability: Local governance mechanisms, such as village-level committees and school management structures, were established to ensure communities remain active stewards of their own development.

Voices on Sustainability and System Integration

“Sustaining these achievements relies on the continued, shared commitment of government departments and local communities to ensure no child or family is left behind.”

Event Panelists

  • Strengthening Public Health Infrastructure: Dr. Mohammed Ali Nohri, District Health Officer (DHO) Umerkot, emphasised how a decade of collaboration bolstered the capacity of government health facilities, frontline medical staff, and mobile health outreach in remote, underserved areas.
  • Expanding Educational Equity: Mr. Mir Hasan Arisar, District Education Officer (ES&HS), noted that teacher capacity strengthening and community-school engagement have set a high benchmark for quality education, offering a sustainable model for broader district-wide replication.
  • Fostering Transparent Partnerships: District Leadership and Education Focal Persons acknowledged the value of transparent, accountable collaboration between civil society and local government in delivering essential public services.
  • Grassroots Transformation: Mr. Abdul Karim, a schoolteacher from Viklokar Village, shared how practical pedagogical training revolutionised classroom environments, increased girls’ retention, and fostered stronger trust between schools and rural families.

A Shared Commitment to the Future

The event concluded with symbolic handovers and mutual recognition between CWSA, local government authorities, educators, and community focal points, underscoring a shared journey of localised leadership and mutual trust.

As the project transitions fully into local hands, CWSA extends its deep gratitude to Act for Peace (AFP), the Australian Government (DFAT-AusAid), Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), local government line departments, educators, and community volunteers. Their unwavering solidarity over the last eleven years has ensured that quality healthcare and education remain lasting rights for the communities of Umerkot.

103

The Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week (RHPW) Asia and the Pacific is officially returning for 2026! On behalf of the co-organisers ADRRN, CWSA, ICVA, and UN OCHA, we invite you to save the date for the region’s premier collaborative humanitarian gathering.

📅 Dates: December 8–10, 2026
📍 Location: Bangkok, Thailand (In-person at the Rembrandt Hotel)

Key Theme:

As the Asia-Pacific sits at the absolute cutting edge of climate risk, geopolitical shifting, and local humanitarian innovation, RHPW 2026 will serve as a dynamic launchpad. We are moving beyond passive discussions to position our region as a primary driver of a completely reimagined, equitable, and locally-led global aid system.

Our strategic dialogue this year centers on three interconnected pillars:

  • A Changing Landscape: Navigating shifting geopolitics, resource constraints, and new operational realities.
  • The Climate-Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus: Scaling up anticipatory action, local adaptation, and direct-to-local financing.
  • Shifting Power, Shaping Futures: Ensuring local actors, women, youth, and marginalised groups genuinely lead responses.

Read the Full Concept Note Here

Key Updates & What You Need to Know

  • Call for EOIs & Registrations: The Call for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to host sessions is now open! Official registration will launch on Monday, July 20, 2026. Keep a close eye on your inbox, bookmark our website, and follow our social media channels for the registration and application links.
  • Registration Fee: Historically, RHPW has been fully subsidised. To ensure financial viability and equitable regional execution in a shrinking funding landscape, a nominal registration fee of USD 30 (inclusive of all processing and bank charges) will be introduced per participant for the full three days.
  • Process Note: Registration serves as an initial expression of interest and does not guarantee a slot. Official confirmation is strictly contingent upon successful verification and receipt of the fee to ensure fair delegation representation.

116

Situation Overview

On 08 July 2026, a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) triggered severe flash flooding, debris flows, and riverbank erosion across the Ishkoman Valley in Ghizer District, Gilgit-Baltistan. The disaster was fueled by a combination of above-normal temperatures, accelerated glacier melt, and heavy monsoon rainfall. This event follows multiple early warning advisories issued since late June by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), which explicitly flagged Ghizer as a high-risk zone.

The incident validates the seasonal risk projections highlighted in Community World Service Asia’s (CWSA) GLOF Situation Alerts (issued in May and June 2026), which urged immediate preparedness and rapid response readiness for the region.

Preliminary assessments indicate that at least four major settlements across Ghizer District have sustained significant damage: Matramdan, Maulaabad, Damas (near Gahkuch), and Silpi village. Additionally, a glacial outburst in Barswat Nullah has severely compromised transport infrastructure. While the total number of affected households within the district’s population of 200,000 is still being verified, the flooding has already caused widespread displacement and disrupted critical local infrastructure. With continued rainfall and high temperatures forecast, the risk of secondary flash floods, landslides, and debris flows remains acute.

Current Humanitarian Impact

  • Casualties: Fortunately, no fatalities have been officially confirmed at the time of reporting. Search, rescue, and damage assessments remain ongoing.
  • Housing & Displacement: Floodwaters inundated more than 30 homes, while approximately a dozen houses have sustained structural damage, forcing immediate displacement. Affected families are currently taking refuge in temporary tents.
  • Critical Infrastructure & Access:
    • A glacial outburst in Barswat Nullah swept away a vital suspension bridge and sections of a link road.
    • Rising river levels and severe bank erosion continue to threaten the bridge connecting Chatorkhand and Dain villages. If this bridge collapses, humanitarian access to the affected valley will be completely cut off.
    • Local communities rely on glacial spring water for drinking. Following flood damage to the pipeline network, residents now collect water directly from the spring.
  • Agriculture & Livelihoods: The floods have devastated standing crops, agricultural land, and vital irrigation channels, severely impacting household food production and local economic stability.

Compound Vulnerability & Context

This disaster does not occur in a vacuum. Ghizer District has faced consecutive, severe flooding events in 2022 and 2025, which damaged hundreds of homes and large swathes of farmland. This repetitive cycle of climate shocks exacerbates existing vulnerabilities, compounding losses for families who are still struggling to recover, and presenting a severe, long-term threat to regional food security.

Emerging Humanitarian Needs

SectorPriority Needs
Emergency Shelter & Non-Food items (NFIs)Tarpaulins, tents, blankets, bedding, kitchen sets and essential household items for displaced and flood-affected families.
Medical AssistanceFirst aid, essential medicines, mobile health services and referral support.
Food SecurityEmergency food assistance and/or multipurpose cash assistance where markets remain functional.
Water & SanitationSafe drinking water, hygiene kits, water purification supplies and sanitation support.
Protection & Psychosocial SupportProtection-sensitive assistance and psychosocial support for women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities.
Early RecoveryRepair of irrigation channels, restoration of electricity, rehabilitation of damaged roads and riverbank protection.

Local authorities have initiated relief efforts, including early recovery efforts. However, additional humanitarian assistance will be required to support affected households, restore critical services and reduce the risk of further deterioration if adverse weather conditions persist.

Community World Service Asia’s Response

Community World Service Asia (CWSA) continues to coordinate with relevant government authorities, including NDMA, GBDMA and district authorities, as well as humanitarian partners and local stakeholders, to monitor the evolving GLOF and flash flood situation in Ghizer District.

As the situation develops, CWSA calls on partners and humanitarian actors to support coordinated response efforts and provide timely assistance to affected communities in Ishkoman Valley, Damas, Silpi, Barswat Nullah and other affected areas, where households are facing risks related to shelter damage, livelihood disruption, damaged access routes and continued exposure to further flash flooding.

Built on existing local networks and partnerships, the response will remain adaptive, inclusive and community-driven, prioritising the most vulnerable households, including women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities and families with limited coping capacity.

Response Plan includes:

  • NFIs: Provision of essential NFIs, including kitchen sets to households that have lost or damaged basic household items due to the flash flood.
  • Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA): Provision of cheque-based MPCA to enable affected households to meet urgent needs, including food, winter items, healthcare, and minor repairs in a dignified manner.
  • Reinforcement of humanitarian Quality, Accountability & Safeguarding mechanisms to ensure dignity and community engagement throughout the response
  • Inclusive Aid Distribution: Ensuring equitable and safe access for women, girls, children, older people and persons with disabilities.

A multi-sectoral team is on standby for rapid deployment, ensuring that our response remains adaptive, inclusive, and locally led. CWSA’s planned response integrates gender-sensitive measures across all areas of intervention.

Contacts:
Shama Mall
Deputy Regional Director
Programs & Organisational Development
Email: shama.mall@communityworldservice.asia
Tele: 92-21-34390541-4

Tooba Siddiqi
Associate Regional Director
Emergencies, Health & Quality, Accountability& Safeguarding (QAS)
Email: tooba.siddiqi@communityworldservice.asia
Tele: 92-21-34390541-4

Palwashay Arbab
Associate Regional Director
Visibility & Strategic Engagement
Email: palwashay.arbab@communityworldservice.asia
Tele: 92-21-34390541-4

  1. Dawn News: Ghizer flash flood reporting (8 July 2026).
  2. The Nation, “NDMA warns heavy rains to trigger floods”, 2 July 2026
  3. Dawn, “NDMA issues alert as rapid glacier melt triggers floods across GB”
  4. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics: 2023 Population and Housing Census
  5. Pamir Times, “Climate Change and Our Civic Responsibility: A Call for Action in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral”

140

Dear colleagues and partners,

Hope you’re doing well.

We are pleased to announce the Humanitarian Logistics & Supply Chain Workshop, taking place on 6–7 December 2026 at the Rembrandt Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.

The workshop will bring together humanitarian practitioners, logistics experts, and supply chain professionals to exchange knowledge, explore emerging challenges, and strengthen collaboration for more effective, efficient, and resilient humanitarian response.

Please mark your calendars and reserve the dates. Further details, including the agenda and registration information, will be shared in the coming weeks.

📅 Date: 6–7 December 2026
📍 Venue: Rembrandt Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

We look forward to welcoming you to two days of learning, collaboration, and knowledge exchange.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Warm regards

163

The towering peaks of Passu stood quietly in the background as fifteen young men from Passu and Gulmit gathered in a room, expecting what many thought would be just another community session. Some arrived in groups, joking and laughing on the way in. Others slipped into their seats quietly, unsure of what to expect. For most of them, it was the first time attending a discussion on mental health and emotional wellbeing. For years, they had learned to carry their worries in silence.

Facilitated by the Community World Service Asia (CWSA), the Guy Talk session was designed to create a safe and supportive space where young men could openly discuss mental wellbeing, relationships, aspirations and the pressures they face in their daily lives.

As the session began, the atmosphere was marked by a familiar sense of reserve. Conversations among young men often centre on studies, work, sport and day-to-day life; discussions about emotions are far less common. Questions about emotions were met with smiles, nervous laughter and long pauses.
Then, a university student from Gulmit spoke up.

“I think many of us are stressed, but we don’t really talk about it.”

The room fell quiet.

Another participant nodded in agreement and then added: “We are expected to deal with everything ourselves.”

The exchange was brief but it changed the atmosphere of the discussion. As the discussion unfolded, stories began to emerge.

A young man, preparing for university entrance exams, spoke about the constant worry of disappointing his family if he failed to meet expectations. Another participant described the uncertainty he faced after completing his education and struggling to find employment. As others shared their experiences, it became clear that many of the challenges they carried were not theirs alone.

One young man from Passu spoke about the pressure of being the eldest son.

“Sometimes I feel responsible for everyone at home. When I feel overwhelmed, I don’t tell anyone because I think they already have enough problems.”

His words resonated deeply across the room. Several participants admitted that they carried similar burdens and often felt the need to handle difficulties on their own. For many, this was the first time they realized they were not alone.

As the discussion continued, the focus gradually shifted from the challenges participants faced to the ways they coped with them. Some spoke about isolating themselves when they felt stressed. Others described spending hours on social media or immersing themselves in work to avoid reflecting on their worries. Few had rarely ever considered speaking openly with friends or family about what they were going through emotionally.

Through guided discussions, participants explored the common expectation that men should always appear strong and in control. Together, they reflected on whether staying silent about their struggles truly protects them or simply those struggles hard to carry.

One participant shared: “Today I learned that asking for help does not make a person weak. It actually takes courage.”

Another added: “We often meet our friends every day, but we never ask how they are really doing.”

As trust grew, the room transformed from a gathering of individuals into a circle of shared experiences. Participants began offering support to one another, sharing advice, discussing healthy ways to manage stress and reflecting on the importance of seeking help when needed.

Towards the end of the session, the facilitator asked participants what they would take away from the discussion.

After a moment of reflection, one young man smiled and said: “We came here as friends, but today we also became a support system.”

The statement captured the essence of the session.

What began as a conversation about mental wellbeing had grown into something deeper: a shared recognition that vulnerability can foster connection, and that support often begins with a simple conversation.

By the end of the day, the fifteen young men from Passu and Gulmit left with a greater understanding of mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. More importantly, they left with the reassurance that they were not alone in their experiences, that their voices mattered and that seeking is a sign of strength rather than weakness.

The Guy Talk session highlighted the impact of creating spaces where young men can speak openly without fear of judgment. In communities where conversations about emotions and mental wellbeing are often left unspoken, such dialogues can help challenge stigma, strengthen connections and encourage people to reach out when they need support.

168

As a focal point of Asian Disaster Reduction and Response Network (ADRRN)’s Quality and Accountability Hub (Asia), Community World Service Asia (CWSA) conducted a regional survey exploring how organisations across 11 countries are applying humanitarian standards in practice.

The survey findings reflect a strong commitment towards humanitarian standards highlighting that most participating organisations have safeguarding policies, codes of conduct and QAS standards in place. The survey also explores persistent challenges, including limited dedicated budgets, gaps in closing feedback loops with communities and the need to contextualise global frameworks to local realities.

The survey reinforces that progress is underway, yet more support is required in peer learning, practical tools and costing strategies to make accountability visible and sustainable.

Read the full reflection on ADRRN’s website: https://lnkd.in/gJEc9avE

181

On Mother’s Day, we highlighted the strength of mothers whose courage carries families through crisis and hardship. From Afghanistan to Pakistan, women like Gul Bibi, Sourath and Charma show how resilience takes many forms, from survival in disaster to fighting for education and children’s health.

166

Two Decades of Sustained Quality, Transparency, and Organisational Accountability
Community World Service Asia (CWSA) has successfully renewed its ISO 9001:2015 certification, marking 21 years of uninterrupted compliance with international Quality Management Systems standards.

Sustaining this certification for over two decades reflects an institutionalised dedication to operational transparency, rigorous internal governance, and systematic accountability. This milestone is a direct result of the collective diligence of our teams and partners, who consistently align daily field operations with global benchmarks to best serve communities.

The recent comprehensive audit offered a valuable opportunity to evaluate our current systems, processes, and field practices. The insights provided by the auditing team highlight existing operational strengths while identifying practical avenues to further enhance our organisational effectiveness and programmatic impact.

As CWSA enters its twenty-second year under this quality framework, we reaffirm our focus on fostering a culture of technical innovation, reflective learning, and structural integrity. We extend our sincere appreciation to the colleagues, partners, and stakeholders whose collaborative efforts and daily discipline make this level of institutional excellence possible.

170

Humanitarian Story Circle (HSC), an exciting storytelling showcase at Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week – Asia & The Pacific (RHPW) in Bangkok, has returned where you can submit and share a story of resilience, struggle, and change along with local humanitarians, community leaders, and civil society from across the Asia-Pacific region.

9 storytellers will be selected to present their work there. Submissions in all formats are welcome, including video, audio, photo essays, spoken word, creative writing, digital art, and in all languages.

Participants will also have the opportunity to attend training sessions covering the fundamentals of storytelling for social change, crafting authentic narratives, and receiving expert feedback to strengthen their stories.

This HSC showcase is proudly organised by Quality and Accountability Hub, led by Community World Service Asia and the Asian Disaster Reduction and Response Network (ADRRN)’s Digital Storytelling Hub, led by words. rhythms. Images.

Submissions will open shortly.
Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/community-world-service-asia_cwsa-communityworldserviceasia-humanitarianstorycircle2026-activity-7464662293104967680-lXod?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAC2iKBQBtmrnxwwxWiUl0rHBaW9AZvENCmM

123...76Next Page 1 of 76
© Community World Service Asia