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Yearly Archives: 2025

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The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a heatwave alert, forecasting a sharp rise in temperatures across much of the country. Daytime temperatures are expected to surge significantly, with Sindh and Balochistan projected to experience an increase of 6 to 8°C above normal levels. In some areas of Sindh, temperatures could soar as high as 46 to 48°C, posing serious risks to public health and well-being1. Authorities urge residents to take necessary precautions to mitigate the impact of extreme heat.

In Sindh’s Umerkot district, the heatwave is already intensifying, with temperatures expected to reach 47°C in the coming days. Unusually, this spike has occurred nearly a month earlier than the typical onset in mid-May, with extreme conditions beginning in mid-April. The heatwave is projected to persist through April, May, and June2.

Impact on Vulnerable Populations

The heatwave is disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups, including pregnant and lactating women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, individuals with chronic health conditions, and daily wage labourers exposed to the sun for prolonged periods. In Umerkot, these risks are exacerbated by limited access to clean drinking water, electricity, and healthcare services. Women, in particular, face increased burdens during such climate extremes, necessitating urgent, gender-sensitive interventions.

While no casualties have been reported so far, communities are facing major disruptions to daily life. Many residents remain indoors during peak afternoon hours, and CWSA health dispensaries have recorded a sharp decline in patient visits after 12 PM, underscoring the severity of the conditions.

Identified Humanitarian Needs

Several critical humanitarian needs have been identified to safeguard the most vulnerable populations and reduce the impact of extreme heat:

Emergency Health Services

  • Deployment of Mobile Medical Units to reach pregnant women, children, the elderly, and individuals with chronic illnesses in remote areas.
  • Provision of first aid and hydration therapy for those experiencing symptoms of heatstroke and dehydration.
  • Increased staffing and supplies at existing health dispensaries to manage potential surges in heat-related illnesses.

Access to Safe Drinking Water

  • Installation of temporary water stations in public spaces and high-risk areas.
  • Distribution of water containers and purification tablets to households with poor water access.
  • Ensuring clean water supply at schools, health facilities, and community centres.

Community Awareness and Behavioural Change

  • Mass awareness campaigns on heat safety, symptoms of heat exhaustion/stroke, and dehydration prevention.
  • Targeted education sessions through Village Management Committees (VMCs), particularly for women and children.
  • Promotion of protective behaviours, such as avoiding outdoor activities between 11:00 AM–4:00 PM, wearing light clothing, and staying hydrated.

Gender-Sensitive Support

  • Inclusion of women’s specific needs, especially for pregnant and lactating mothers.
  • Safe and private access points for women at water stations and medical services.
  • Distribution of IEC materials tailored for women and girls on self-care during heatwaves.

Infrastructure and Shelter Support

  • Setting up shaded relief centres and cooling zones in public areas, markets, and near labour sites.
  • Distribution of cooling aids like fans, umbrellas, and cloth shades for households.

Community World Service Asia (CWSA) Response

Community World Service Asia (CWSA) has launched a targeted heatwave response in Umerkot, Sindh, in collaboration with the Village Management Committees (VMCs) that it engages with at the community level. Awareness sessions are being held with men, women, and children to share critical information on hydration, heat protection, and behavioural safety—particularly urging residents to avoid outdoor activities between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

The VMCs are playing a pivotal role in strengthening community resilience by disseminating life-saving information and ensuring protection for the most at-risk populations. CWSA is also distributing information, education, and communication (IEC) materials and offering first aid to affected individuals through its three operational health dispensaries.

In coordination with the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), District Administration, and Health Department, CWSA is supporting plans to establish relief camps at hospitals and key public locations. These camps will provide access to clean drinking water, shade, and emergency medical care. Additionally, CWSA is prepared to deploy its Mobile Health Units, equipped with essential supplies, to provide outreach services across the desert union councils of Umerkot.

To address the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves in the region, CWSA aims to implement long-term resilience measures:

  • Establishment of community-based heatwave preparedness camps.
  • Creation of permanent heat resilience hubs in high-risk areas.
  • Training of Lady Health Workers and community volunteers in first aid, hydration therapy, and early detection of heat-related illness.
  • Regular early warning sessions and public awareness campaigns.
  • Collaboration with PDMA/DDMA and local media to ensure timely dissemination of heatwave alerts.
  • Ongoing community education on dehydration prevention, heatstroke symptoms, and protective behaviours.

Contacts

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

Palwashay Arbab
Head of Communication
Email: palwashay.arbab@communityworldservice.asia
Tele: 92-21-34390541-4

  1. https://www.nation.com.pk/14-Apr-2025/heatwave-alert-issued-across-pakistan-as-mercury-soars ↩︎
  2. PMD ↩︎

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In collaboration with our partner, ACT Church of Sweden, we have organised a series of Webinars on “Adapting Responsibly and Ethically to the Changing Funding Landscape”

The series aims to explore how humanitarian and development actors can adapt responsibly and ethically in the face of shrinking resources, shifting donor priorities, and escalating needs. Through diverse perspectives—from local leadership to global accountability standards—it seeks to deepen collective understanding of what it takes to remain community-centred, principled, and effective amidst funding uncertainty.

Webinar 2: Adapting Responsibly – Accountability and Quality in Uncertain Times

April 22, 2025 | 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM PKT

Click here to register

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

The keynote speaker Bonaventure Gbétoho Sokpoh is a Policy and Outreach Senior Advisor at CHS Alliance, where he leads the development and implementation of the organisation’s localisation strategy. His work focuses on strengthening the participation and influence of national NGOs within the humanitarian system, promoting equitable partnerships and local leadership. With a strong commitment to accountability and quality, Bonaventure advocates for the widespread adoption of the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) to enhance transparency, learning, and continuous improvement across the sector. Through his leadership, he supports the humanitarian community in building more inclusive, effective, and people-centered responses.

The webinar will be moderated by Uma Narayanan, an expert on quality and accountability within the humanitarian and development sectors, with a strong focus on the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Sphere Standards. She has collaborated with organizations to integrate accountability into their work, strengthen staff capacity, and apply simple, practical approaches to quality and safeguarding.

Please if you can also circulate this information in your organisation and network, it would be much appreciated.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact aqsa.tahir@communityworldservice.asia

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Greetings from Community World Service Asia!

In collaboration with our partner, ACT Church of Sweden, we have organised a series of Webinars on “Adapting Responsibly and Ethically to the Changing Funding Landscape.”

The series aims to explore how humanitarian and development actors can adapt responsibly and ethically in the face of shrinking resources, shifting donor priorities, and escalating needs. Through diverse perspectives—from local leadership to global accountability standards—it seeks to deepen collective understanding of what it takes to remain community-centred, principled, and effective amidst funding uncertainty.

Webinar 1: Strengthening Local Partnerships for Long-Term Resilience

Date: April 17, 2025 | Time: 11:30 AM PKT

Click here to register

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

The keynote speaker, Sudhanshu Shekhar, Founder and CEO, Humanitarian Aid International (HAI) is a humanitarian and development professional with over 34 years global experience, he was involved in managing responses to almost all major disasters in the Asia Pacific region during 2001. Sudhanshu has been closely engaged with key global processes including Agenda for Humanity, Grand Bargain and Charter for Change. He is one of the founders and international coordinator of Alliance for Empowering Partnerships (A4EP). Sudhanshu has authored numerous papers published nationally and globally.

The webinar will be moderated by Uma Narayanan, an expert on quality and accountability within the humanitarian and development sectors, with a strong focus on the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Sphere Standards. She has collaborated with organizations to integrate accountability into their work, strengthen staff capacity, and apply simple, practical approaches to quality and safeguarding.

We look forward to your participation in the webinar.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact aqsa.tahir@communityworldservice.asia.

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Dear Partners and Friends,

The recent funding cuts in the humanitarian sector have led to program closures, staff reductions, and disrupted services—deeply affecting both aid workers and communities.

We want to hear from you. Whether you’re currently working or have been affected by these changes, your voice matters.

📋Take the anonymous survey: https://forms.gle/S1frjeDKCqfJgpnc8
🗓️ Deadline: April 15, 2025

Your insights will feed into a practice paper to support sector-wide reflection and learning.

Please also share the survey with colleagues and networks to help us reach a broader audience.

Note: While an email is required to submit, it will not be stored or linked to your responses.

Feel free to reach out with any questions. Thank you!

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Sphere Focal Points (Asia Pacific) Meet in Early 2025

The first quarterly meeting of 2025 brought together Sphere Focal Points from across the Asia Pacific region to discuss the critical issues impacting their work in humanitarian response. With funding cuts, particularly the USAID funding freeze, causing widespread disruption, aid organisations have been forced to adapt and restructure in response to the changing landscape.

Sphere Focal Points shared their experiences, explored strategies for resilience, and discussed the growing importance of maintaining accountability in humanitarian work despite the challenging context. A central theme that emerged was the need for organisations to remain flexible, ensuring they continue to uphold global humanitarian standards such as the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and the Sphere Humanitarian Charter, while adapting to financial constraints.

Impact of Funding Reductions

The meeting’s opening session focused on the financial strain caused by the USAID funding freeze—a significant disruption for many humanitarian organisations. While some organisations, like Sphere, have felt the impact, they emphasised their commitment to survival and continuity, largely thanks to the strong support from focal point communities. CWSA shared how they had to make difficult decisions, including offices and staff contract closures, in the face of funding reductions. Other participants noted that while focal points in Japan, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh have not been directly impacted, their partners have faced challenges.

In response to these funding cuts, organisations have had to adopt rapid adaptive measures, including staff reductions, implementing cost-cutting strategies, supporting colleagues’ mental well-being, freezing new hiring, and exploring alternative funding sources. Despite these challenges, a sense of solidarity emerged, with organisations expressing a strong willingness to support one another during these uncertain times. Innovative solutions for fundraising and outreach were explored, such as pooling resources, sharing grant opportunities, and collaborating with affected organisations to ensure their sustainability.

Alternative funding models were also discussed, including self-generated revenue through courses and advisory services, private philanthropy such as grants and crowdfunding, public finance options like government contracts and results-based financing, and investment income through green bonds, carbon credits, and ESG endowment funds.

As the funding landscape shifts, organisations recognise the need to reaffirm their commitment to Quality and Accountability by reviewing and strengthening their adherence to CHS and Sphere commitments.

Nature-Based Solutions: A Path to Sustainability and Climate Resilience

Another key topic discussed during the meeting was the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in addressing both environmental challenges and community resilience. Participants shared a wide range of NbS projects, including mangrove reforestation, flood mitigation, and climate-smart agriculture.

Tassaduq, Program Coordinator, from Community World Service Asia outlined several initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions and promoting eco-friendly practices, such as introducing energy-efficient stoves, organic farming, and reverse osmosis plants for water conservation.

Amor J. Tan Singco, Lead for Policy Advocacy from DRRNetPhils also shared their organisation’s work in the Philippines, particularly in green-gray flood mitigation and mangrove reforestation. These nature-based interventions not only protect the environment but also increase the resilience of communities vulnerable to climate-related risks, providing sustainable solutions that improve livelihoods. The use of geotextiles and rainwater catchment systems further demonstrated how NbS can be a practical solution to environmental challenges while promoting sustainability.

Dr. Sharon Taylor from Accord, introduced a self-assessment tool developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which helps organisations evaluate and improve their nature-based interventions. This tool has proven invaluable in refining strategies and aligning projects with best practices.

A key takeaway from the discussion was the importance of collaboration and shared learning. By working together and exchanging knowledge, organisations can drive innovation and maximize the effectiveness of their humanitarian interventions.

Looking Ahead: Strengthening Collaboration for Future Challenges

Despite financial and environmental uncertainties, the commitment to humanitarian principles remains unwavering. The meeting reaffirmed the sector’s resilience, with organisations continuing to support vulnerable communities, uphold accountability, and embrace innovative solutions.

The next Sphere Focal Points Asia Pacific meeting is scheduled for June 2025, where member organisations will reconvene to assess progress, explore new collaborations, and continue shaping the future of Quality & Accountability in humanitarian and development work.

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In collaboration with our partner, ACT Church of Sweden, we have organised a virtual learning and sharing series on “Beyond the Cuts: Upholding Quality and Accountability for Affected Communities Amid Workforce Challenges”.

These sessions are designed in response to the ongoing funding cuts affecting humanitarian aid, leading to program closures, workforce reductions, and disrupted essential services. These changes significantly impact both aid workers and the vulnerable communities they serve. Our goal is to create a space for reflection, discussion, and shared learning on how funding constraints reshape humanitarian response and operations.

Series 1: Ethical Dilemma of Staff Affected by Workforce Reductions vs. Community Impact

The aim of this to:

  • Explore the complex ethical tensions between the job security of aid workers and the continuing needs of the communities
  • Analyze the psychological, operational, and ethical challenges faced by aid workers and organisations when financial constraints lead to layoffs and program closures.

The series will consist of three virtual sessions as below:

Session 1Psychological and Ethical Struggles of Staff Affected by Workforce Reductions March 17, 202511:00am – 12:30pm (PKT)
Session 2The Forgotten Communities – What Happens When Aid Workers Leave?March 20, 202511:00am – 12:30pm (PKT)
Session 3Ethical Considerations in Layoff Decisions by Organisations March 26, 202511:00am – 12:30pm (PKT)

The series will be moderated by Uma Narayanan, an expert on quality and accountability within the humanitarian and development sectors, with a strong focus on the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Sphere Standards. She has collaborated with organisations to integrate accountability into their work, strengthen staff capacity, and apply simple, practical approaches to quality and safeguarding.

Who Should Attend?

Humanitarian and development actors: Seniorand Middle management of I/NGOs, Programme staff, support function personnel (Operations and HR), MEAL Officers and Laid-off/furlough aid workers

We encourage organisations to register and nominate multiple relevant staff members to support institutional strengthening.

How to Attend:

If you are interested in attending, please register here.

Limited slots available – Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Participation Requirement:

  • Commitment to attend sessions.
  • Basic understanding of the English language
  • Willingness to engage in interactive discussions
  • Camera must be kept on during sessions (if connection allows)

Once your registration is confirmed, you will receive the Zoom link for the sessions.

If you can also share it within your network, it will be much appreciated. In case of any questions, please feel free to contact aqsa.tahir@communityworldservice.asia.

Coming Soon: Series 2 – Adapting to the Changing Funding Landscape (Details to be announced later)

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Last year, we traveled to the Thar region of Umerkot to document the transformative impact of the Humanitarian Assistance, Early Recovery, and Development (HERD) Project, supported by Canadian Foodgrain Bank (CFGB) and Presbytarian World Service and Development. (PWS&D). Through our lens, we captured stories of resilience, hope, and progress. Six months later, we returned to the village to share the documentary with the very people whose lives it portrayed. The entire community came together to witness their own stories unfold on screen—a moment of reflection, empowerment, and collective strength.

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Vicholo Par in Umerkot district is a very peculiar village. Of its 120 households, no fewer than 30 have children or adults with disabilities. Sometimes, a single household has two or three differently abled persons. Here, one can observe limbs that appear shortened, hands and feet with irregular shapes, or fingers that are absent. Strangely, despite it being a Hindu village, there is absolutely no inbreeding which is endemic among Muslims.

Although there is a school in the village, several differently abled children have been kept out of it. Bhoj Raj who does not know his age but seems to be about eight, suffers from a considerably shorter right leg with a poorly formed knee joint. He does not wear shoes and reaches school in about 20 minutes[1] by hopping on his good leg. When the hot sand burns his foot, he goes by cartwheels. Until he joined in Grade 1 recently, he remained home helping his mother with housework and feeding the family’s livestock while his five healthy siblings all attended school.

He says he never thought he could be in school until his playmates told him of the new equipment the school[2] had received. There were swings and a seesaw in the grounds and in class they had colourful cards and charts with pictures and names of birds, animals, fruit, and Sindhi, English and Urdu alphabets. 

Government Boys Primary School (GBPS) Vicholo Par is supported by Act for Peace through the “Improving Health and Education Services in Migration-Prone Union Councils of District Umerkot” project. Schools selected for this initiative must meet specific criteria, including being fully functional government schools with at least two classrooms and teachers. Community World Service Asia (CWSA) prioritises the enrollment of girls and the inclusion of vulnerable groups, such as persons with disabilities (PWDs). The project has enhanced this school by providing a multigrade teaching kit for educators, play-based kits for children to promote joyful learning, and teacher training under a positive learning program. Furthermore, the project has installed a swing to promote play-based education and supplied quarterly school materials to ensure a conducive learning environment.

As well as that, they were given materials to paint and draw. Learning had become so much fun since August 2024, they all told Bhoj Raj, that they did not want to leave school when time was up. Just months after he joined, the child wants to be a school teacher when he grows up. “I want to be a teacher so that after my duty in school, I go to every house with disabled children and give lessons free of charge,” he said.

Pato Bai, aged nine, is another student at the same school. She is the only disabled child among her four other siblings. Both her feet are shaped in a way that she walks on the outer sides rather than on the soles. As a child, walking had always been very difficult, but as she grew up, she learned to keep her balance with what nature had given her.

Pato’s mother says that though they live only 10 minutes’ walk away, she did not send her daughter to school because of her difficulty in walking. Also, the government teacher was rarely ever present[3] in school and children simply wasted their time. In her view, Pato was better off helping with chores around the house. She says that the new teacher, Raheem Das[4], being from the same village has been regular in attendance since he joined in March 2021 and the input from the idaro (organisation meaning CWSA) changed her mind. Seeing her daughter doing better than her other siblings, she is happy she changed her mind.

In August 2024, CWSA trained teacher Raheem Das deployed the Early Childhood Care and Education kit to make the classroom a fun place that Pato enrolled in. Her interest in learning is so great that even at home she had asked her siblings to tutor her and consequently was taken in Grade 3. She dreams of studying medicine so that she can prevent children being born with deformities like hers. And if there are any, her pledge to herself is that she will treat them free of charge.

When she does finish her degree, Pato will make a very artistic doctor because of her talent in painting and drawing. The school has several sheets of her artwork on display produced during a recent art competition in which Pato topped. Ever more commendable is the fact that the two students who topped in the games competition are both differently abled – Pato and Bhoj Raj[5].

[1] While other children cover the distance in five to 10 minutes.

[2] The total number of students enrolled is 95, consisting of 65 boys and 30 girls.

[3] The teacher was appointed from a distant village, faced health issues that hindered his regular attendance.

[4] The teacher has passed the government teaching test and has been teaching for four years. He is originally from the village itself.

[5] The teachers promote inclusive education by creating opportunities for all children, including girls, boys, and children with disabilities (PWDs). In remote areas lacking specialised institutions, the teacher works to support the inclusion of PWDs in school admissions and activities. Their efforts ensure equal participation for PWDs in sports, poster competitions, and other events, fostering a sense of belonging and enabling them to continue their education.

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Latifan, a 20-year-old woman from Ramo Vehro, UC Faqeer Abdullah in Umerkot, lives with her husband, Yaseen Muhammad, and their three-year-old son, Umer. The household also includes her brother-in-law, his wife, and their three children, making it a family of eight living under one roof. Yaseen works as a daily wage labourer, earning PKR 500 (approximately USD 1.8) per day, though there are occasional opportunities where he earns up to PKR 1000  (approximately USD 7.2) for a day’s work. The family’s monthly expenses amount to around PKR 8,000  (approximately USD 28.7), covering essential grocery items such as wheat, sugar, tea leaves, and rice.

In 2021, a severe drought devastated Latifan’s village, destroying agricultural lands and decimating livestock. The family farmed on four acres of shared land, cultivating cluster beans and millet. However, the drought rendered their crops useless, leaving them in a dire economic state. The family faced a very challenging time but they have persevered and remained resilient.

Community World Service Asia (CWSA), with support from Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH), initiated a Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance programme in the drought-affected regions of Umerkot. The initiative provided PKR 17,000 ( (approximately USD 61) per household every month for three months—September, October, and November—benefitting 460 households, including Latifan’s family. Their inclusion in the programme was due to their large household size, low income, and farming background. Upon receiving the first tranche of PKR 17,000, Latifan prioritised purchasing wheat for PKR 10,000  (approximately USD 36), with PKR 1,000  (approximately USD 3.6) allocated to land preparation expenses. The remaining PKR 6,000  (approximately USD 22) was spent on groceries such as lentils, rice, and tea leaves, leaving her with PKR 1,000  (approximately USD 3.6)  in savings.

Latifan’s aspirations for the remaining instalments include repairing their home and purchasing a mobile phone to facilitate better communication. Her leadership skills are evident through her active participation in the community as a member of the Village Management Committee led by CWSA. As deputy president, she not only takes training sessions from CWSA’s women mobilisers but also shares her knowledge on cultivation and harvesting techniques with other women farmers in the community. Her confidence and proactive nature have made her a key contact for NGOs organising community visits.

The cash assistance programme has significantly improved the family’s living conditions, enabling them to afford three meals a day. Previously, they managed only one or two meals daily. The family’s meals now consist of a good breakfast, potato curry for lunch, and chapati (flatbread) with curry for dinner. They live in a modest two-room house shared between Latifan’s family and her brother-in-law’s household. Their combined livestock of seven goats—four belonging to the brother-in-law and three to Latifan—provides milk for household consumption, with additional milk sold by her brother-in-law, who earns PKR 200 to  300  (approximately USD 1) as a shepherd.

Despite these improvements, Latifan’s family continues to face hardships. The lingering threat of drought hampers agricultural recovery, and Yaseen’s fluctuating income barely meets their needs. A mounting debt of PKR 200,000 (approximately USD 720) weighs heavily on the family, accrued primarily from food purchases and medical expenses, including PKR 40,000 (approximately USD 144) for Latifan’s cesarean operation when her son was born. Health remains a top concern, particularly with her son being susceptible to common childhood illnesses like flu, fever, and cough, which could hinder his healthy growth. Additionally, her nephew’s sleep disturbances pose a further health worry. However, through hard work and payments made to the landlord, they have managed to repay PKR 100,000  (approximately USD 360) of the debt.

Latifan’s determination remains unwavering. Her family plans to use the forthcoming assistance to improve their land conditions, resume crop cultivation, and allocate PKR 10,000  (approximately USD 36) towards further debt repayment. With a vision for a more stable future, Latifan continues to lead her household and community with resilience, striving for financial independence and a sustainable livelihood amidst ongoing challenges.

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Naveed Metlo began working as a farm laborer before the age of 10, while still in Grade 4 of primary school. At the time, he was one of four brothers and three sisters, and the entire family toiled in the fields to secure enough food for survival. Struggling to make ends meet, their challenges deepened as the family grew with the addition of two more sons. Despite the burden of school and farm work in the afternoons, Naveed kept at it and successfully completed secondary school education in 2021.

“In our village Bakhshan Metlo of Khairpur, we were not paid cash for the work we did on a farm. Instead, at harvest time we were paid in grain. We sold some of it for cash while the rest fed our family. Sometimes it lasted the whole year until the next harvest, but mostly we ran out three months earlier,” recounts Naveed. He says in those days none of the siblings had any spending money because any cash in the home came from the sale of grain and was kept by the parents.

After completing his education, Naveed returned to his old work. In 2023, he heard of an initiative led by Community World Service Asia (CWSA) and CAFOD1 for Over, providing technical training for suitable young men. The devastating floods severely affected Naveed’s village, damaging his house and completely destroying his family’s livelihood sources. As the family’s sole breadwinner, Naveed was identified among the flood-affected individuals when CWSA initiated the Skill Development Component. The selection process was carried out by Village Management Committees (VMCs) formed by CWSA, with the proposed participants’ list shared with the MEAL team for pre-verification. Following the verification, Naveed was selected to receive training in motorcycle mechanics. He completed a three-month training program along with a 15-day apprenticeship in the local market. After successfully passing the Trade Testing Board (TTB) exam, he received his course completion certificate. The three-month training was a cinch for a naturally gifted mechanic, especially because it brought him a stipend of PKR 550 (approx. USD 2) per day. This was the first pocket money the man had ever had. After the fourth week, Naveed apprenticed himself to a mechanic in town and spent his afternoons helping him and honing his skill further.

The ustad (master of the workshop) was a strange man, says Naveed. “As soon as I reached there, he would take off and disappear for the rest of the day. Gradually I began to realise the man did not have his heart in the work,” reports Naveed. But by the time he graduated from the training centre and joined his ustad, he had told Naveed that he was going to live in Karachi and Naveed could have the workshop to himself with some of the tools.

Naveed did just that and as one of the only two trained mechanics, he soon attracted good business. From nearby Kingri town, he purchased more tools on credit and his establishment soon gained the look of a well-established setup. That meant more business, he says. As of December 2024, he had repaid most of his loan of PKR 110,000 (approx. USD 395). On display, he had spare parts that turn over fast and because most repairmen in Ahmedpur do not keep such stocks, his outlet became the centre where people resorted.

“Spare parts are good business because profit ranges between 20 to 25 percent and currently I have a stock of Rs 80,000 [USD 287],” explains Naveed. Coupled with the tools and other accessories, his workshop is worth PKR 200,000 (approx. USD 718). To increase his earnings, his focus in November 2024 was on increasing his stock and display of spare parts.

So, what is it other than the fact that he is a trained mechanic that draws customers to his establishment? “First of all it is the outlook of my setup. Customers see I have spare parts and then my labour charges are about 25 percent less than other mechanics. Also, it is the respect I give my customers,” says Naveed.

Opening at 8:30 AM, he works for the next 10 hours. But sometimes when a wrecked engine comes in and the owner wants it done as soon as possible, he even has to work through the night. The earning in such cases is good and he goes home with a neat profit ranging between PKR 3000 to 4000 (approx. USD 11-14)  rupees. A slow day still means that Naveed earns PKR 1500 (approx. USD 5). With this kind of income, it is easy for him to pay the monthly rent of PKR 4000.

He says being a motorcycle repairman also has bonuses. Used engine oil sells for PKR 150 (approx. USD 0.54) per litre, while old spare parts go for PKR 120 (approx. USD 0.43) per kilogram. Old brake shoes make the best sell at PKR 450 (approx. 1.61) per kilogram. “I save all the scrap for a month and make about Rs 10,000 [approx. USD 36] from its sale.” Though there are several other mechanics in the village, Naveed is doing good business because of the large number of bikes.

His natural mechanical talent keeps him from restricting himself to just being a motorcycle mechanic. In October, he borrowed a welding transformer from a friend who was not using it. “Welding is very easy to learn and I have taught myself,” says Naveed. If it goes well, he will return the borrowed machine and purchase a new one for his workshop. Before he got the machine, if there was any welding required for a job, he had to send the bike out to a neighbouring workshop. That costs money. But the way he has picked up the craft, it is clear that Naveed will soon be doing his welding with his own machine.

Asked what is the most satisfactory aspect of the work he is doing, he does not have to think hard. “I am paying for the education of my two youngest brothers. Every morning I bring them from the village to Ahmedpur for school and take them back for lunch,” says Naveed. He is very clear that while he has plans to expand his business with more spare parts, his real aim in life is to see that these two little boys get ahead in life with college degrees.

  1. Catholic Agency for Overseas Development ↩︎
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