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A three-day training workshop titled “Building Disaster and Climate-Resilient Governance: Integrated Approaches for Disaster Risk Management and Preparedness” was successfully organised by Community World Service Asia (CWSA) from 17–19 December 2025 in Lahore, Pakistan, for officials from the District Government Administration and the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA).

The workshop brought together senior officials from Gilgit-Baltistan, including Mr. Zakir Hussain, Director General GBDMA; Mr. Wali Ullah Falahi, Additional Commissioner Gilgit Division; Mr. Ghulam Hassan, Deputy Secretary Home; and Mr. Zahiruddin Baber, Deputy Director GBDMA, along with Assistant Directors representing all 10 districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, including Hunza/Nagar, Ghizer, Skardu, Ghanche, Diamer, and Astore.

The workshop was formally opened by representatives of Community World Service Asia (CWSA), who warmly welcomed the participants and expressed sincere appreciation to officials from the District Administration, representatives of GBDMA, resource persons, and partner institutions. CWSA highlighted the importance of strengthening institutional systems, fostering cross-learning, and enhancing coordination to address increasing disaster and climate risks, particularly in vulnerable regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan.

Throughout the three days, the training focused on strengthening disaster risk governance and climate resilience within public institutions. Participants enhanced their understanding of integrating disaster risk reduction and climate change considerations into development planning, policy frameworks, and operational decision-making, with a strong emphasis on practical, field-oriented applications relevant to mountainous and climate-sensitive regions.

A significant component of the training emphasised the use of technology and data-driven approaches to support effective disaster risk management. Participants received hands-on exposure to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing applications, digital tools, and early warning systems, enabling them to strengthen risk assessment, hazard mapping, anticipatory action, and evidence-based planning at district and provincial levels.

The training also underscored the importance of nature-based solutions, community-centered approaches, and anticipatory action to reduce disaster impacts and enhance local resilience. Through interactive discussions and group exercises, participants explored practical ways to strengthen community engagement, ecosystem-based risk reduction, and early action mechanisms within existing government systems.

Sessions on climate and disaster risk financing strengthened participants’ understanding of risk-sensitive investments, financing instruments, and institutional mechanisms required to support sustainable and resilient development. These discussions highlighted the importance of aligning public investments and development programs with long-term climate and disaster risk considerations. The workshop featured contributions from experienced national experts and practitioners. Mr. Falak Nawaz, CEO National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) Islamabad, served as the Lead Trainer and facilitated key sessions on risk-informed governance, GIS and remote sensing applications, anticipatory action, digital preparedness, and mainstreaming climate resilience into development planning.

Mr. Muhammad Ajmal Shad, Chief Meteorologist (Retd.), Pakistan Meteorological Department, delivered an in-depth session on flood forecasting, climate trends, and early warning systems, enhancing participants’ understanding of hydro-meteorological risks and preparedness measures.

Ms. Shehnaz Akhter, Provincial Lead Rescue 1122, shared valuable insights on emergency preparedness, inter-agency coordination, and effective response systems.

Mr. Mubashir Hussain, Manager Disaster Risk Financing at NDRMF, presented on nature-based disaster risk reduction and climate and disaster risk financing mechanisms, highlighting pathways to strengthen district-level resilience.

On the final day, participants received an exposure visit to the Rescue 1122 Emergency Services Headquarters and Emergency Services Academy, Government of Punjab, facilitated by Ms. Shehnaz Akhter and senior Rescue 1122 officials. The visit provided comprehensive insights into command-and-control systems, emergency response operations, simulation-based training, and rapid response mechanisms. Participants observed live demonstrations and learned about the Academy’s initiatives to strengthen institutional preparedness, responder capacity, and inter-agency coordination.

As part of this initiative, CWSA and GBDMA teams visited the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), where officials shared insights into provincial-level disaster preparedness planning, coordination mechanisms, risk assessment processes, and response operations. The visit provided valuable exposure to institutional models and standard operating procedures, supporting cross-provincial learning and adaptation to the context of Gilgit-Baltistan.

During the concluding reflections, Mr. Zakir Hussain, Director General GBDMA, emphasised that regional coordination and preparedness are essential for Gilgit-Baltistan, given its fragile geography and increasing climate-induced risks. He underscored the importance of strengthened inter-provincial and inter-agency collaboration.

Representatives from the District Administration highlighted the importance of coordination among district administrations, particularly in aligning planning and implementation processes. They stressed the need to integrate climate change considerations into district-level programs and development initiatives and commended CWSA’s efforts in bringing together diverse government stakeholders on a single platform, enabling shared learning, alignment of priorities, and strengthened institutional coordination.

The workshop concluded with commitment from all participants to apply the knowledge, tools, and insights gained to strengthen coordination, integrate technology and climate considerations, and advance disaster- and climate-resilient governance within their respective institutions and districts.

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A Learning Event Hosted by Community World Service Asia – Lahore, 9th September 2025

Community World Service Asia convened a timely and impactful learning event in Lahore on September 9th, 2025, bringing together key stakeholders to explore actionable strategies for Punjab’s climate resilience. Titled “Strategising Punjab’s Climate Roadmap: Policy, Practice & Partnership,” the event served as a dynamic platform for dialogue, collaboration, and forward-thinking solutions.

With climate-induced disasters escalating across Pakistan, the urgency to align policy with practice has never been greater. This learning event brought together representatives from government departments, humanitarian organisations, academia, and civil society to examine how integrated approaches can strengthen provincial climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction efforts.

Key Highlights:

  • Policy Alignment & Gaps: Participants reviewed existing climate policies and frameworks, identifying critical gaps in implementation and coordination across sectors.
  • Localising Climate Action: Emphasis was placed on community-led adaptation, with discussions on how local knowledge and inclusive planning can inform provincial strategies.
  • Strengthening Partnerships: The event fostered cross-sector collaboration, encouraging stronger linkages between humanitarian actors, government bodies, and technical experts.
  • Practical Tools & Innovations: Attendees explored practical tools for climate risk mapping, early warning systems, and safeguarding mechanisms tailored to Punjab’s diverse geography and vulnerabilities.

Voices from the Field: Participants shared insights from their respective contexts, highlighting the need for:

  • Gender-responsive climate programming
  • Youth engagement in climate advocacy
  • Strengthening institutional capacities for long-term resilience

Why This Matters:

This learning event marks a significant step toward building a cohesive and inclusive climate roadmap for Punjab. By bridging policy with practice and fostering meaningful partnerships, Community World Service Asia is helping shape a future where climate resilience is not just a goal, but a shared responsibility.

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Centre for Social Development and Social Entrepreneurship University of the Punjab, in collaboration with the Social Welfare Training Institute, Department of Social Welfare and Bait ul Maal Government of the Punjab, and Community World Service Asia, is pleased to announce one-month short course on NGO Management.

When: 22nd May- 15th June 2023 (Classes are scheduled between Monday to Thursday in the second half of each day per week)

Where: University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

Language: Urdu and English

Fees: PKR 15,000

Interested Applicants: Click here to register

Last Date to Apply: 12th May 2023 (Applications will be selected on a first come, first serve basis)

Background and Objectives:

The last thirty years have witnessed an extraordinary growth in the NGO sector in many parts of the world, becoming a prominent part of the global civil society and are now significant players in promoting and protecting human rights, environment issues and social development causes at local, national and international levels. Consequently, there is an increasing need for building familiarity and skills on management of NGOs. Through this course, participants will:

  • Be familiarised with concepts of NGOs operations and their vision, civil society, volunteerism, charity, aid, social change and their intersection
  • Understand various development issues and how accountable NGO management and contextual strategy formulation can help resolve them
  • Gain knowledge about the nature, functions, formation and registration process of NGOs in Pakistan
  • Develop communication skills, financial management skills and resource mobilisation techniques for an NGO

Target Audience:

This course is designed for fresh graduates interested in joining the sector, Social Welfare Department staff, NGOs staff and other people interested in understanding the working of development sector organizations. Women and students are highly encouraged to apply; a special incentive may be given.

Teaching Methodology:

  • Interactive lectures/Discussions
  • Assignments for self-study
  • Presentation by the students
  • Workshop/Seminars/Exercises/Field Visits to develop social analytical skills

Instructors

Mr. Muddassir Riaz Malik has over 20 years of experience serving in the public sector in varying capacities. He received the Australia Awards Scholarship in 2015, through which he graduated with a Master of Public Policy from the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, Canberra, specializing in policy impact evaluation, research and economic cost benefit analysis. He currently serves as the Director General Department of Social Welfare and Bait ul Maal Government of the Punjab. Previously, he has held the posts of Director General Punjab Food Authority, Deputy Commissioner Lahore, Commissioner DG Khan and Additional Secretary (Admin) Planning and Development Department.

Dr Tahira Jabeen with a doctorate in ‘Child Protection Policy’ from Australian National University, Dr. Tahira Jabeen has over 25 years of work experience as an academic, independent researcher, trainer and consultant with government, and national and international NGOs and multilateral organizations in the areas of child protection, children and human rights, qualitative research, social entrepreneurship, social development and civil society. In addition to her duties as Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Social Development and Social Entrepreneurship at University of the Punjab, she currently also serves on Board of Studies of Lahore College Women University and University of Home Economics, Lahore, as well as on the editorial board of the journal ‘Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice.’

Mr. Irshad Waheed has been associated with social development/community development in the public sector for the past 25 years in the domains of women protection and development, child protection, rehabilitation of disabled persons and senior citizens’ social policy formulation. He has been a part of various teams of the Department of Social Welfare and Bait ul Maal Government of the Punjab and currently serves as Director General of the Punjab Women Protection Authority where he oversees the execution, monitoring and coordination of the Women Protection System. Mr. Irshad is also part of the visiting faculty at Social Work Department, Punjab University.

Mr. Irfan Mufti, a well-known human rights defender and peace activist in Pakistan and South Asia, holds a Master’s Degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology and M.Phil in American History. Currently serving as Deputy Executive Director of a six-country development and advocacy consortium South Asia Partnership-Pakistan (SAP-PK), he has previously led Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) for three years. Mr. Irfan has worked extensively in the community development field through facilitation of community groups, NGOs and networks, organizational planning, humanitarian assistance and advocacy campaigns. He co-authored two books and remains a regular contributor to political economy pages of national English dailies and other research journals.

Dr. Izhar Hashmi a graduate of Kind Edward Medical College, Institute of Public Health and AMA, Dr. Izhar Hashmi is currently working as Director (Program & Operations) at Punjab Welfare Trust for the Disabled (PWTD). He has remained engaged in varying capacities with Akhuwat, Waseela Foundation, Al-Noor Umer Welfare Trust and Society for Education and Technology. In the public sector, he has been associated with SWD KPK and Punjab, Special Education Department Punjab and Punjab Youth Development Program. Dr. Izhar Hashmi has developed innovative models and solutions for the inclusive education, especially with learning difficulties and disabilities through different interventions. He has delivered trainings on soft skills, entrepreneurship, strategic negotiation skills, SDGs and community development.

Mr. Safdar Abbas is a sociologist and social development professional with more than 16 years of experience. He has contributed to more than fourteen national and international research projects from conception to execution. He has been actively involved in policy analysis, project management, capacity building and advocacy through communication various levels. On the academic side, he is a regular contributor to high impact HEC journals and has so far published fourteen articles on a wide range of topics including human rights, community development, violence against children, and women rights/empowerment. His professional experience coupled with the national and international level trainings on various themes have enabled him to develop viable public sector policies, programs, and projects.

Ms. Ayesha Hassan is the Associate Director at Community World Service Asia with a diverse experience project implementation on Quality and Accountability (including Safeguarding, PSEAH, Complaints Response Mechanism), Gender, Livelihoods (including food security with focus on DRR), Education, and Participation. She is a trainer, advisor and voice for Quality and Accountability standards including Core Humanitarian Standard, Do No Harm Approach, and Sphere Standards. Ayesha is hands on in fundraising and program growth, overseeing the development of proposals and donor compliance. She develops program strategies for various programs under implementation while she has also facilitated the process of developing a 10-year strategy for DRR, livelihood and democratization.

Mr. Sohail Muhammad Ali is a high-performing research and capacity-building specialist and trainer with expertise in research, training and development to maximize human resource outputs in social development and education sectors. He is an influential and inspirational leader with excellent human capital development skills. Mr. Sohail has the experience of working in South Asia, Africa and Europe. He has conducted professional development workshops and capacity building sessions. He has served as a national and international consultant for organizations including Leonard Cheshire (LC) UK, World Bank, USAID, Care International, UNICEF, Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP), Academy for Educational Development (AED), Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), Transparency International, Lead Pakistan, British Council Pakistan, Human Resource Development Network (HRDN), and others.

Ms. Tooba Siddiqi is an experienced Engagement Manager with over 10 years of experience in partnership management, advocacy, youth mobilization, community- led campaigning, fundraising, and resource development. A tech-savvy, human resource manager with a demonstrated history of remotely managing large teams from diverse geographical and ethnic backgrounds. She is a strong community and development professional trained in Management Sciences and Human Resources Management from the University of the Punjab, Lahore. In the past year with Community World Service Asia, she has played a significant role in pushing the Quality and Accountability standards with local NGOs as well as regional NGOs.

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We were taught to carefully choose our mode of communication to effectively influence communities in a positive way and bring real change.

Reehana, Easy Approach Community Organization (EACO), Pakistan

Reehana participated in a training titled “Essentials of Social Mobilization” held in Lahore under Community World Service Asia’s Capacity Enhancement Program for local humanitarian and development practitioners in Pakistan. The training took place in August 2019 and was participated by twenty-eight staff members representing eleven civil society organizations from across Pakistan. Participants strengthened their knowledge and skills on concepts of mobilization and influencing, conflict resolution and policy development in the four-day workshop.

Employed with Easy Approach Community Organization (EACO) as a Program Manager for ten years, Reehana is actively engaged in community mobilization and management of Community-Based Organizations[1] (CBOs). She is responsible to ensure smooth implementation of projects through providing guidance and support to field staff and monitoring and reporting on the project. With over 15 years of experience in the development sector, Reehana has worked with various local and national level organizations in different capacities and found this training to be one of the most enriching personal development experiences in her career.

When I saw the contents of the ‘Essentials of Social Mobilization’ training I could not wait to attend it. The content was related to the work we are doing in EACO, therefore, I believed that the learning would be fruitful in terms of strengthening influence and bringing change in the communities we are working in,

 shared.

I have taken part in numerous trainings focused on Microfinance, Leadership Skills, Human Resource Management and Social Mobilization. But I was lucky to get a chance of attending this training workshop as the holistic approach incorporated by the CEP[2] team has been very interactive and high-yielding for me.

The two facilitators leading the training, Moazzam Ali and Nergis Ameer Khan, engaged us in developing content of the training resulting in the content being relevant to our work and nature of field activities. We also gave input in designing the pre and post training assessments to make the learning more effective and useful. The most interesting aspect of the training was identifying a need for a social mobilization policy and actually starting drafting one during the training.  EACO did not have a separate policy on social mobilization. Currently, EACO is working on the first draft of the policy and aims to take support of Community World Service Asia for review and recommendations for improvements.

After enhancing my own skills and building my own knowledge at the training, I organized a training for the fifteen field staff members of EACO. The learnings of my training with CWSA, were shared with all the participants and the team assured to implement the new techniques of mobilization in their field of work. The training provided insights on conflict resolution. Consequently, the field team arranged a community level meeting to resolve the conflict between two communities in Mohala Sadiqi Haidri Farooqabad in Sheikhupura district. There was no draining system for waste water. People in the communities were facing health issues due to the standing dirty water in the area. The conflict arose as the communities blamed each other for not constructing a proper drainage system. In the meeting, community members were mobilized to gather measurements for the pipelines to install the drainage system. The costs of installing the system were divided among the two communities and two members from each community were selected to collect the funds. The communities mutually agreed to invest jointly to build a better drainage system for both the parties to benefit from. The project of draining system was completed under EACO technical and partial financial support,

expressed Reehana.

The training allowed a systematic learning of social mobilization which consequently improved our quality of work. The communities we work in trust us more and are comfortable with our interventions. I will be happy to recommend such trainings to my colleagues and CBOs[3]as they are relevant to our work and are very useful in the humanitarian sector. These learning opportunities provide a platform to network and increase our capacities at the same time,

 concluded Reehana emphatically.

[1] Community based organizations (CBO’s) are nonprofit groups that work at a local level to improve life for residents.

[2] Capacity Enhancement Program

[3] Community Based Organizations

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Local level organizations engage the most crucial, unreachable areas of a community, empowering it from within. They enable community members to enhance their own and others’ capacity to create waves of social change. One way Community World Service Asia supports local organizations in their grassroots efforts is to equip them with effective strategies of social mobilization. These strategies assist communities in contributing to and participating more productively in social, economic, politico-legal and decision-making fora to improve the lives of the most vulnerable.

Bringing Social Mobilization to Communities Through Training

Community World Service Asia’s Essentials of Social Mobilization training workshop aims at enhancing social mobilizers’ skills to overcome existing barriers in communication, performance and engagement with their target communities.

CWSA conducted this training at the Department of Social Work at University of the Punjab from August 28 to 31, 2019. The training engaged 28 social mobilizers and staff members from 11 local organizations in various theoretical and practical learning experiences to enhance their social mobilization capabilities. Participating organizations included Médecins du Monde, Helping Hand for Relief, The Brooke Hospital for Animals Pakistan, Easy Approach Community Organization (EACO) and Forum for Language Initiatives.

The training helped the participants to develop an understanding of:

  • the essential traits of a social mobilizer;
  • how to use effective tools of communication;
  • the steps for enhancing community engagement;
  • how to identify the root cause of an issue in a community;
  • how to disarm myths and stereotypes and employ cultural and contextual strategies to overcome challenges; and
  • project management and problem handling.

The training employed a mix of activities, energizers, group discussions, indoor and outdoor role plays, innovative use of audio/visual techniques and daily reinforcement to support learning. It also provided an opportunity for the participants to share their experiences and success stories with their peers, which helped them to develop a sense of trust and confidence, strengthening the group work dynamics.

By the end of the four days, with the support of the CWSA team and resource persons, Moazzam Ali and Nergis Khan, the participants prepared customized action plans to apply their learning within their organizations and in the communities they serve. Equipped with practical knowledge and actionable plans, the participants expressed their eagerness for additional training on other topics to continue to increase their effectiveness in their work.

Participants’ Voices:

“The training techniques were interesting and engaging. The trainers, Moazzam Ali and Nergis Khan, not only held theoretical session, they also engaged participants in practical learning exercises such as role plays and group activities. We can replicate these activities in the target communities to build capacities of community members.” Mahmood Ahmad Medecins du Monde

“The activities conducted in the training workshop were interactive and provided long-term learning. The session on Policy of Social Mobilization made me realize the importance of having such a policy on an organizational level. These policies can be designed in accordance with the culture and context of the organization, which will boost the efficacy of the project activities for the welfare of communities.”

Rehana Yasmeen Easy Approach Community Organization (EACO)

“The training content helped me in overcoming the communication and mobilization gaps which exist in my field work. Moreover, the training environment was very welcoming, and it allowed me to share experiences openly and learn from others’ as well.”

Sajjad Ahmad Forum for Language Initiatives

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Group photo of the training participants with Zaigham Khan and the Community World Service Asia Team.

Theory of Change (ToC) is a powerful tool that helps organizations and initiatives plan how they will achieve change, assess their effectiveness and communicate to stakeholders. Growing in popularity over the last decade, the international development community (practitioners and donors alike) shows great interest in using ToC for organizational planning, implementation and monitoring purpose. The national level organizations also showed interest in learning and applying ToC at their organization level. ToC help facilitate better planning to ensure that activities are linked to a detailed understanding of how change actually happens.

To help CSOs in Pakistan to learn the approach of and the method to apply ToC in their organizations, Community World Service Asia organized a 4-day training at Punjab University, Lahore from November 20 – 23, 2018. Zaigham Khan, a renowned development professional, facilitated the 4-day workshop. Twenty-five participants from 10 organization attended the workshop.

The training enabled participating organizations in identifying steps for long-term impact and strategic planning and facilitated for sequencing of theory of change approach. The participants reviewed their organizational strategy using theory of change approach and learnt the use of ToC to enhance accountability and learning. In addition, they acquired the skill of integrating ToC into their organization’s planning, monitoring and evaluation processes if future.

Voices of the Participants:

“Being a technical training, Zaigham made this training very rewarding and enjoyable. I learned a lot from this training and will try my best to improve further and train other staff in my organization on this. I want to express my gratitude for our facilitator for his outstanding way of articulation, knowledge and providing such a friendly learning environment.”

Muhammad Ayoub from Aga Khan Agency for Habitat

“We acquired the skills of integrating ToC into our organization’s planning, monitoring and evaluation processes. Zaigham has been an outstanding resource person throughout the workshop and will prove to be more useful in future because of his availability and willingness to provide technical assistance after the workshop.”

Basil Dogra, Center for Law & Justice

“Interactive discussion and practical group activities made learning more interesting and productive. The difference between the ToC and Log Frame was made clear in this training. I am grateful to Community World Service Asia to provide such an opportunity which will be beneficial for our organization in the long-run.”

Kiran Yochbed from Taangh Wasaib Organization

“I am grateful to be given this opportunity to learn Theory of Change. I learned the current practices of ToC and how to design community development projects. I am now able to connect ToC to the log frame for Monitoring & Evaluation. This training has enabled me to see the project activities from a different and broader level.”

Nadeem Matto from Pak Mission Society

“This 4-day training was very interesting and beneficial for my organization as a whole. The training was conducted with a participatory approach including practice, sharing, discussions and group work. Our facilitator was well-versed and attended all our queries effectively. I hope to implement the learning in my work to bring positive results for community development.”

Bushra Malik Forum for Language Initiatives

“I am working in the NGO sector for the past twenty years. This workshop has proved to be very useful in my field of work. The knowledge of ToC tools has enabled me to develop effective projects. Zaigham Khan has been very patient and helpful throughout the training.”

Josna Azeem from Christian Women’s Development Association

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Group Photo of alumni students of University of Sindh of the Social Media management Training in Mirpurkhas.

A series of trainings on Social Media Management for alumni students of the Youth United for Change network from different universities across Pakistan were held in the cities of Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Lahore and Faisalabad. The trainings aimed at enhancing the knowledge of students and graduates on social media, its key tools, its impact and usability for bringing positive changes and awareness.

Popular social media campaigns and their impact were shared with participants. Through assignments and interactive exercises alumni students were guided on how to plan and develop their own successful social media campaigns on social causes, awareness issues and development goals. Inspiring and innovative video and photo campaigns successfully run on social media platforms by UN agencies, international aid organizations, CSOs and global academic networks were shown to participants to get inspiration from. Group activities on developing informative viral campaigns, #Hashtag activism, infographic development and creating facebook pages encouraged students to bring out their creativity and put on their thinking hats. At the same time, these youth representatives were cautioned on the cons of mis-using social media and the ethical considerations to take while developing and implementing campaigns on social networks.  A significant session of the training emphasized on using social media tools to share knowledge on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to develop campaigns that would help us achieve the global goals unitedly as a nation.

Students’ Corner:

“Youth must be united for progress and development of their country and in today’s age social media is the most effective and engaging platform which is easily used and available to everyone. Together we can bring positive change through innovative social media and #hashtag campaigns,”  Mohammad Shebaz, alumni of University of Sindh, Mirpurkhas Campus.

“The training was very fruitful. The facilitator of the training delivered all sessions effectively and efficiently for us to build a clear understanding of social media and how to use it. We learnt to use social media ethically as well which most of us overlook and do not take concern of. These kind of trainings fulfill the need of today’s society where social media is frequently used by most individuals, especially youth,” Ajay K. Rathore, alumni of University of Sindh, Mirpurkhas Campus.

“This experience was very informative, creative and productive. We learnt new ways of interacting in different social media sites and how to make our content effective and eye-catching.” Maham Ansar, alumni of University of Sindh, Jamshoro.

“The way of delivering sessions step by step was helpful to understand the different terms and sites of social media. In a short period of one day, we managed to gain interesting facts regarding the techniques of using social media which we were initially unaware of.” Hoorab Ansar, alumni of University of Sindh, Jamshoro.

“Being an Alumni Member, this training was very helpful as social media has become one of the main modes of media to get connected globally. The frequent use of social media is productive and impactful, for youth especially. The training helped in understanding blogs and article writing and how to start campaigns within ethical boundaries. Furthermore, it helped to understand getting over the distance gap and stay connected and united with youth from the South-Asian region through social media platforms. It also enabled me to develop effective and productive messaging for positive social changes in the region.” Mahnoor, alumni of University of Sindh, Mirpurkhas Campus.

 

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As part of developing the syllabus for the Post-Graduate diploma in NGO Management, faculty from universities and colleges of Punjab, Peshawar and Sindh (Jamshoro) along with representatives from the provincial social welfare department and Community World Service Asia staff came together for a three-day consultative workshop in Lahore this August. The key objective of the workshop was to discuss and agree on the main contents of the teaching guideline for each of the modules taught under the NGO management course and develop clear action plans for the course.

The interactive and discussion filled workshop facilitated by Takeshi Komino, Deputy Director and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Expert, Community World Service Asia, had a participation of twenty academia practitioners, fifteen women and five men. These included University Professors, Assistant Professors, Lecturers and college teachers, from across Pakistan.

To support universities in teaching about humanitarian and development practices (based on field work) and empower them on tools and approaches used by development professionals, Community World Service Asia succeeded in developing partnership with two Universities i.e., University of Peshawar and University of the Punjab. Both of these universities are among the oldest institutions in Pakistan. In both the universities, the Department of Social Work has been assessed to being very similar to the work of the aid and development sector.

Community World Service Asia then initiated the process of supporting both institutions in designing this new post-graduate diploma course through a six step process leading to the launch of the degree. Peshawar University already launched the degree in February this year and received an overwhelming application response from graduate students and some NGO practitioners. While, University of Punjab aims to start offering the course in December this year and University of Sindh plans to initiate it sometime in their 2018 semesters.

This workshop is part of the technical and consultative support that Community World Service Asia is providing to the academia in assuring that the degree fully meets its objective of familiarizing students with the fundamental concepts of NGO management and its project implementations, its role in bringing about social change through explaining the various dimensions in which it works. The next step in this process is to conduct a Training of Trainers on “Creative Facilitation Skills” to further strengthen the capacity of faculty members teaching the various course modules.  This is planned to be held in Peshawar University this October.

Academia Insights:

  • Sonia Omar, Assistant Professor, Social Work Department, Punjab University

    “This course is really a need of the hour as far as the significance of this degree is concerned, considering the situation in Pakistan. We are a developing country; we cannot always rely on the government alone. Therefore, we have to support and encourage NGOs and the university and academia needs to take a step ahead. We must add specific development and aid practice related programs to our departments and courses. These will help future practitioners and those who are already in the field. It will also help those who want to establish NGOs to serve the people of the country.

    This three-day workshop really helped in building the right curriculum for the NGO management course. We are expecting that the drafted curriculum will be further refined. We at Punjab University really intend to start the degree within 6 months. I am sure we will be getting a great response from the students.

    Community World Service Asia has been very facilitative through our collaboration. When so many think tanks from NGO sector, academia and social welfare departments working together always ends in very positive outcomes.”

  • Sumera Farid, Teacher of Introduction to NGOs Module, Social Sciences Department, Peshawar University”

    As teachers, this course has been very interactive with a lot of participation from students. For students, this course has been very interesting and new. They have all been very enthusiastic, sometimes critical and very active in discussions. It has been more of a two-way learning process for us. With teaching this course, we really felt like we’re contributing a lot in the learning process of students and youth. The exposure visits and special lectures that we have included as part of the modules acts as developing linkages for these students and helps to set a foundation for future professional careers for students. We organised a visit to the Drug Addiction Centres and lectures from representatives of Social Welfare Departments as part of the first semester. Admissions for fall semester have also been announced for new students for this degree and we are expecting many applications.”

  • Bashir Khan, Deputy Director, Social Welfare Department (KPK) & Visiting Faculty at Peshawar University.

    “I am teaching the students of this Diploma course on social legislation policies in regards to the non-profit sector. Most of the students in the course have social sciences background, and only few who are actually NGO practitioners, so this is a great learning opportunity for them. This is mostly new information for them and many students have joined this course with a hope to be employed in the private social/development sector with knowledge of this additional information. Today, we are here at this workshop to review the course modules and revise and design the course to best fit the understanding level and requirements of students.”

     

  • Farhana Noreen, Human Rights Teacher, Social Sciences Department, Peshawar University.

    “I am teaching the Human Rights modules to students in this degree. We received more applications from new under-grad students for this diploma course. Therefore, we have started the modules and subjects from the very basic level. The teachers for this course have been given 30% flexibility on teaching methodologies which is great. Students are very enthusiastic to learn as they are eager to join the NGO sector. As part of the course, we organised exposure visits of students to the Ministry of Human Rights as practical learning. This aspect of learning has been very effective and of great interest to students.

    As one of the inputs for this workshop, we do feel that some of the modules of the course need reshuffling in terms of where to be taught in the semester timelines for it to be more effective.”

  • Mohammad Arshad Abbasi, Assistant Professor, Social Work Department, Punjab University

    “NGO management and leadership is a new concept in Pakistan. A large number of organizations are working in the NGO sector but very few of them have the expertise skills and are academically qualified to work on social issues and in the humanitarian/development sector. This diploma has been designed to equip our students with the skills, knowledge and expertise on how to work with NGOs, specially on enhancing skills on developing project proposals, fund-raising and on human rights issues and the various laws and policies related to NGOs. I hope that our students will get maximum benefits through this diploma. Furthermore, this diploma program will assist in developing expert and trained human resources that will ultimately play an important role in the NGO sector and in improving the sector. The consultation by Community World Service Asia and their technical and financial assistance has played a key role in developing the curriculum of this degree program. And time to time, training and exposure opportunities provided by them have helped us a lot in refining and finalizing the course contents and to get it approved by the concerned authorities.”

  • Waheed Akbar, Lecturer, Social Work Department, University of Sindh in Jamshoro.

    “As far as my department and our university is concerned, this is a very helpful course for the future of our students, given that they will get this sort of professional knowledge through all the modules included in this one-year diploma. I think this will be a milestone in our department and as well as for students of social work in this area. During this course and after completion, students will be equipped with specialized knowledge and skills and their capacities will be enhanced. Our university will be creating resources for the development and humanitarian sector of our province.  The NGO management diploma is also offered to professionals who are already working in the field, though many of them don’t have the exact NGO academic qualification. Therefore, this will be an added platform and capacity building opportunity in the form of a certified degree for them.

    This consultative workshop gave us a chance to share and learn a lot of knowledge from faculties from universities from Peshawar and Punjab. Through this workshop, we aimed to polish and develop the syllabus, we discussed new ideas and possibilities. We also realized that there are some specific and technical areas in the course, for example social entrepreneurship or financial management etc., that we as faculty need to build our own capacity in as well to teach the students. For this we seek opportunities to enhance and build our own competencies to make this degree a sure success.”

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Community World Service Asia’s Capacity Institutionalization project (CIP) continues to provide trainings and technical assistance resources that caters to the requirements of civil society organizations. In an effort to build the capacity of local humanitarian and development organizations and to expand the use of evidence-based practices, Community World Service Asia hosted two networking events in Islamabad and Lahore in the month of June.  Participants from different organizations shared their learnings, success stories and future implementation and partnership ideas in this event.

The first networking event took place in Lahore. Representatives and participants from various organizations attended the session and explored new possible partnerships. Organizations of the same professional community got to know more about each other’s’ work, upcoming trainings and how to participate in them, areas of priority and published work.

The second event of the same nature was held in Islamabad with the aim to promote the trainings the organization offers on various topics on organizational development and humanitarian quality and accountability at national and regional levels among the aid sector in Islamabad.

Participants Tête-à-Tête

FarkhandaDr. Farkhanda Ather – Mercy Corps

“This was an interesting event, which provided an opportunity to know the local NGOs as well as the diversified scope of work of Community World Service Asia”

NobaNoba Anil- Community Advancement Society

“This networking event was very useful, because it gave us a chance to interact with different organizations. These kind of networking events are beneficial for developing relationships between humanitarian organizations.”

mahrukhMahrukh Saleem – Plan international

“We got to find out a lot of helpful information regarding trainings today. This will  help us in enhancing the capacity of our organization’s staff. Moreover, the  event was very interactive and it provided an opportunity for organizations at all levels to get to  know each other.“

Hafeez AhmadSHafeez Ahmed- Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

“The session on Community World Asia’s work, domain and focus areas was quite an informative one. It is good for new learners as well as for those who are running their own CBOS and NGOs to get this sort of information. Vital information about upcoming trainings, their procedure to participate, very important themes like project management and financial management were covered. This session serves as a key for new avenues of development especially for those who are eager to do something in future.”

TariqTariq Rahim- ACF (Action Against Hunger) International

“It is a great experience of working with Community World Service.  They always bring us together and provide us with an opportunity to sit together and share ideas.  The event was a successful platform for networking.”

© Community World Service Asia