CLOSE

Archives

61

“Spill some ghee (clarified butter), that’s all right. But never a drop of water. That is what they said in our village,” 20-year-old Pratap recounts. He has only heard tales. Tales from the time when men would set out for Umerkot early in the morning with empty water bags/vessels on their camels. A trek of 20 kilometres took up to five hours. There they would fill up the bags and return the way they had come from. At home they would empty their water bags into earthen pitchers that stood in their courtyards. Some households had as many as twenty of them so as to cut down on the number of camel trips to the town.

The sweet water from Umerkot was for human consumption only, recalls Pratap. For bathing and washing up, they used the bitter water they got from their wells which everyone affirmed contributed to their skin rash and itching. It was too bitter, even for livestock to consume for which usually the tarai (natural pond) outside the village, sufficed. But it filled only when the rains were good and there had been too many waterless summers that had made these ponds cracked clay. Most families migrated to the barrage area on the western edge of the desert, rich with canals and agriculture where they worked as farm labourers and their livestock fed in the pastures and drank from the canals and ponds.

“Livestock was wealth for us and we could not afford to let them die. There were times when all men would be away with the cattle. Sometimes whole families moved and the village was completely deserted,” says Pratap. He goes on to explain that in such cases they would remain there to take part in either the wheat or cotton harvest depending on the time of year. They would return with bags of wheat and cash as wages just in time to harvest their millets and cluster beans that few men had remained behind to tend.

At the turn of the century, as road networks improved, water tankers began reaching remote villages. Families in Bandi responded by constructing underground concrete tanks, and soon the practice of importing water from Umerkot became a lifeline.

Pratap recalls those early days but cannot say what a single 1000‑litre tanker cost when the system first began. He does remember paying PKR 12,000 (USD 43) for one, before the installation of Bandi’s reverse‑osmosis plant in May 2021, built through the support of a collaborative project by Community World Service Asia, CWS Japan, and Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Today, a tanker is needed every five to six days on average, with families spending around PKR 15,000 (USD 53) per month. In the scorching summer months, demand rises, more tankers roll in, and costs climb even higher. For the people of Bandi, it has been a relentless struggle, yet they have paid whatever was necessary, because no price is too great for the water that sustains life.

A combined approach that amalgamates solar powered technology with community-based management systems was harnessed to ensure sustainable access to safe drinking water where many similarly installed plants have become abandoned sites in the middle of sand dunes.

The process includes remote sensing and aerial imagery to identify potential groundwater zones, surveys to assess water quality and quantity, mapping out suitable locations for drilling and installation, and Hydrogeological validation using scientific and indigenous knowledge.

Tests carried out for subsoil water showed a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) level of near 14,000 which is very high for human consumption and to purify which, a ‘sea membrane’ fitted RO plant was necessary. Work began on the plant and a Water Management Committee (WMC) to tend to RO plant affairs was also set up under the project to ensure community ownership and participation. Just as the year’s warmest months came upon Bandi, the solar-powered RO plant came into action.

“May 2021 put an end to the water tanker’s business from our village. The only time we have ever called for a tanker since then is for weddings when we have guests from other villages,” reports Pratap who heads the WMC.

The best outcome of the RO plant is that children are in school because now families save, on average, PKR 15,000 (USD 53) every month. Also, says Pratap, the quality of food has improved for everyone. Following the installation, each household now has access to approximately 40 litres of safe drinking water per day.

“Now there is no family that only has chilli paste with millet flatbread.” Even better, he says as an afterthought, is the availability of milch cattle in the village year round. “Now we have milk tea and milk for children. I cannot recall a time since May 2021 that I’ve had black tea at home.”

With migration enforced by the need to protect their livestock now obviated, only one or two men per family move to the irrigated areas in March for the wheat harvest. Most family members, especially women, remain in the village to tend to local agriculture, children and cattle. Schools that were deserted every year in March now continue to hum with the activity of children at their lessons.

Every morning with sunrise, the plant fills up the 2000-litre storage tank for the 75 households of Bandi. Outside the little building housing the plant, activity begins early as women stream in with their pitchers followed a little later by livestock with the waiting time reduced to less than three minutes. TDS levels have reduced to around 250 ppm, with water now accessible to village homes within a maximum distance of 300 meters.

But it has been seen that virtually hundreds of RO plants lie derelict and unserviceable after only a couple of years of service. How then does the Bandi plant continue to work five years after installation? “Every member family of the WMC contributes a monthly subscription of PKR 200 (USD 0.72) which is saved for maintenance of the plant. Not even the smallest fault goes unattended,” explains Pratap.

That’s the reason for the smiles in Bandi.

63

Sindh province in Pakistan is widely known for its vibrant craftsmanship and rich cultural heritage. The region paints a serene picture of its desert landscapes and a myriad of colors seeping through the fabric of local clothes. However, beneath this cultural splendour, many communities grapple with the challenges of inadequate infrastructure and severe climatic conditions. They are at the mercy of recurring droughts, limited sanitation, and an escalating hunger crisis. With annual rainfall often falling below 200 mm, livelihoods are precarious, and poverty is widespread.

District Umerkot is particularly hard-hit, with many residents living below the poverty line. In this struggle for survival, basic needs often take precedence over education and healthcare. Families are forced to prioritise food and water, leaving schooling and medical care as distant concerns. Accessing private medical services is often a luxury, or, in desperate situations, a burden of debt.

In a region where the choice between health and livelihood is a daily struggle, Community World Service Asia (CWSA) has stepped in to provide a transformative solution: a mobile health unit that delivers accessible medical assistance without requiring any sacrifice. For those who have endured years of pain and suffering from untreated illnesses, the introduction of free medical services right in their communities has been nothing short of a miracle. Previously, many had to travel long distances or sell livestock to afford treatment. Now, help is just a doorstep away.

Umerkot has a total of 42 union councils, and three of these, UC Faqeer Abdullah, Seekhro, and Kaplor, come into CWSA’s focus area. There are 153 villages in these union councils, with a combined population of nearly 85,000 people.

The medical camps are open to all; men, women, and children, but it is the women who have voiced the greatest joy and relief. As active caregivers at home and hardworking labourers in the fields, they often bear the weight of exhaustion from long hours of strenuous work, limited rest, and neglecting their own well-being. This relentless strain leaves them with weakened immune systems, making them more susceptible to illness. Common health issues include leg pain, scabies, digestive disorders, and complications related to pregnancy, both antenatal and postnatal, all exacerbated by the lack of clean water and proper sanitation.

In UC Kaplor, there are no hospitals or clinics nearby. The only option is to travel 50 km to Umerkot city, a journey that takes hours on foot under the scorching sun, often with only a small bottle of water for sustenance.

Radha, a mother of five from Kaplor, shared her experience of accessing medical services. “Previously, even for a minor illness, we had to travel all the way to Umerkot city for a check‑up. This journey was not only exhausting but also very costly. The bus fare alone was difficult to manage, not to mention the doctor’s fee and medicine bills.” To add to the hardship, women were not allowed to travel on their own, making it mandatory to be accompanied by a male guardian, doubling the expense.

She recalled how the rickety, overcrowded minivan worn thin by years of use, rattling along broken roads as one of the few lifelines connecting isolated communities to their destination. Those dust, bad air filled journeys had mothers clutching their sick children close to them, to leave them feeling even worse. The entire trip cost nearly PKR 5,000 to 10,000 (USD 17 -35), an amount that could otherwise feed their entire household. For her and countless others, the ‘free’ medical camp meant not only immediate relief but also peace of mind and dignity. Her daughter, who suffered from urinary problems, received free consultation too, reinforcing how important such interventions are when entire families and whole villages carry multiple untreated health issues.

Another recipient of the health camp, Akla, recounted the death of a relative due to the absence of an emergency health facility and lack of reliable transport. She also spoke of her daughter‑in‑law’s emergency C‑section at a city hospital, an ordeal that left the family with a bill of PKR 75,000 (USD 250). “It’s either your property or your livestock,” she said. In their case, it was livestock that had to be sold to pay the bill.

Now, apart from the mobile health units making stops from village to village, the same people battered by sickness, fatigue and torment are able to access what was once a non functional government dispensary revived again in 2025 by CWSA. The distance is cut down to merely 2km and expense to nearly none.

Both the mobile health units and the medical dispensary are staffed by a dedicated team, including a Women Medical Officer (WMO), a Lady Health Visitor (LHV), a Medical Technician, and a Community Mobiliser. This diverse team ensures efficient operations while maintaining cultural sensitivity. The WMO and LHV are responsible for examining and diagnosing patients, while the Medical Technician dispenses prescribed medications. Community Mobilisers conduct health awareness sessions that focus on disease prevention and basic health practices, including family planning counseling. These camps provide primary healthcare services and essential medicines at no cost to the community. Serious cases are referred to the nearest taluka and district hospitals for further diagnosis and treatment.

The doctors and field mobilisers prioritise solutions that are adaptable to the community’s environment and daily routines. They promote safe practices such as boiling water before drinking, frequently washing hands, thoroughly rinsing food, and using simple home remedies alongside prescribed medications.

In recognition of its supportive role, CWSA collaborates closely with the District Health Administration and other relevant stakeholders. Since launching the first camp in July 2025, the initiative has reached 56 remote villages and engaged over 26,000 participants through various project activities. To date, 150 mobile health camps have been conducted across 60 villages, providing curative health services to 17,295 individuals, along with free essential medicines and health consultations.

Additionally, the project team has held 260 health education sessions with 7,712 community members. These sessions have addressed critical topics such as maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), child-spacing, hygiene practices, and the prevention of common diseases. Critical cases, including malnourished children, are identified, screened, and referred to specialised healthcare facilities for advanced treatment.

The mobile health units continue to support communities with their health and medical needs. In January of 2026, their latest stop served the brick kiln workers and their families. In collaboration with District Administration and SPARC (Society for the Protection of the Right of the Child), the initiative aimed at providing consultations, treatment, free medicines, and health awareness sessions for a segment of society very much ignored by the system, often working and living in extremely unsafe and unsuitable conditions. They remain invisible to labour protections, denied basic rights leaving them trapped in exploitative conditions with little support from formal systems. During labour, they are exposed to toxic smoke, dust, and fumes from burning wood and coal. This leads to high rates of chronic respiratory illness and other health problems.

Many workers and their families live on or near kiln sites with no access to basic amenities such as clean water, sanitation, or protective equipment, and long working hours under extreme heat only compound these risks. They are often trapped in a cycle of poverty and debt, borrowing from the kiln owners to cover basic needs, including medical expenses, with little chance of ever repaying these loans. In such conditions, health and wellbeing become secondary to survival. During this camp, 256 patients working on brick kiln sites were examined, treated, and provided essential medicine along with prevention awareness.

One worker shared his experience about the long working hours and difficult conditions faced by families at the brick kiln.

“We work here at brick kiln sites for about 12 hours a day, and sometimes even longer,” he said, adding that “most of us belong to poor families and work here together with our entire family members.”

He explained that living conditions at the site are extremely limited. “We do not have proper shelters, sanitation, or health facilities,” he said. He added that survival depends on constant labour, “For our livelihood and daily meals, we have to work very hard.”

Because of these hardships, healthcare becomes difficult to afford. “In such conditions, we cannot afford the additional burden of medical expenses,” they explained, noting that “if my family and I visit a doctor, we have to pay more than PKR 2,000 (7 USD).”

The brick kiln workers expressed appreciation for the medical support they received at the camp. These camps have not only treated thousands of patients but also restored dignity, hope, and resilience to families who had resigned themselves to suffering. The mobile health initiative has demonstrated that when healthcare is brought closer to the people, barriers of distance, cost, and neglect can be broken down, and preventable illness no longer needs to become a lifelong burden. As these units continue their journey from village to village, they stand as a testament to what is possible when communities are prioritised, partnerships are strengthened, and the health needs of even the most remote populations are met with compassion, commitment, and sustained action.

57

In Village Dhamraro, families once watched helplessly as their livestock, their only lifeline, succumbed to disease, one by one. For many, the loss of a single animal meant the loss of milk, income, and survival itself.

Village Dhamraro, Union Council Kaplore is a remote rural community in Sindh where livestock is not just an asset, it is the only source of survival for most families. Goats and small animals provide milk, income, and security during hard times. Five years ago, the village had an estimated livestock population of more than 5,000 animals, yet it remained completely neglected in terms of animal healthcare services.

Before Community World Service Asia (CWSA) stepped in, no government department had ever provided vaccination services in Dhamraro. There was no veterinary hospital, no medical facility, and no trained staff available in or near the village. “We have never received any government vaccination campaign for our animals. Every year, we worry about diseases such as PPR (Peste des Petits Ruminants or commonly known as ‘goat plague’) and foot-and-mouth disease, and sometimes we lose our goats and cattle. We strongly request regular vaccination services in our village so that our livestock can remain healthy and our families can feel secure,” said Mohamad Urs, a member of the Village Management Committee in Dhamraro.

The community depended only on traditional knowledge and prayers to protect their animals. For example, in cases of diarrhoea, animals are often kept without feed for 24 hours. This practice is harmful, as it can lead to severe dehydration, which further endangers the animal’s health. In cases of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), when blisters appear on the animal’s tongue and feet, some community members wash the blisters with pen ink and expose the animals to smoke produced by burning sugar up to five times a day. This smoke can cause dyspnoea (difficulty in breathing) and further weakens the animal’s condition. These practices reflect traditional local customs; however, they can negatively affect animal health and recovery.

During the extreme cold season, a severe outbreak of contagious pneumonia spread rapidly among the goats. Without access to vaccines or treatment, the disease claimed the lives of more than 1,000 goats. Families watched helplessly as their animals died one after another. Many households lost entire herds, pushing them deeper into poverty and economic distress. “During the disease outbreak, around 80 households lost most of their herds. When the rains started, our small animals became weak and suffered from bloody diarrhea. Within days, I lost almost all my sheep. We had no veterinary support, no vaccination, and no guidance. Watching them die one by one was very painful,” shared Urs.

The situation worsened during the rainy season. Weak and malnourished small animals, especially kids and lambs, became vulnerable to bloody diarrhea. Due to the absence of timely veterinary care, many young animals fell ill and died. For the villagers, it felt like every season brought new suffering and loss.

Recognising that protecting livestock is fundamental to preserving human dignity and economic independence, Community World Service Asia (CWSA), with the support of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) and Presbyterian World Service & Development (PWS&D), deployed an expert veterinary relief team to Dhamraro. Combining the strengths of a government staff veterinarian, a CWSA technical expert, and a community mobiliser, the team launched a rigorous “carpet vaccination” campaign. Across three targeted phases between May 2025 and January 2026, the team successfully immunised 3,781 animals in Dhamraro alone, scaling up to a staggering 41,797 vaccinations across 10 regional villages.

This timely intervention provided critical defense against lethal threats like Caprine Contagious Disease, Enterotoxemia, and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), alongside vital deworming treatments to control internal parasites. Crucially, the initiative paired medical relief with knowledge, equipping 80 vulnerable households with practical training in disease prevention and sustainable animal husbandry.

Today, the impact of this integrated approach is beautifully illustrated by Meer’s recovery. Armed with newfound knowledge on the power of timely vaccinations, Meer began rebuilding his life through a livestock-sharing arrangement. With regular deworming and strict adherence to vaccination schedules, his new herd thrived and reproduced. Now the proud owner of 15 healthy goats, Meer’s journey stands as a powerful testament to how localised, dignified aid can help a family transition from acute vulnerability to sustainable self-reliance.

The impact of the intervention was immediate and visible. Disease outbreaks1 were controlled, animal health improved, and deaths were significantly reduced. For the first time, the community felt protected and supported by structured veterinary services, and hope gradually returned to farmers who had previously faced repeated losses. The intervention also significantly reduced deadly disease outbreaks in small ruminants, improved milk production capacity, supported safer trade and movement of livestock, strengthened food security in drought-prone regions, and reduced reliance on costly treatments and losses from epidemics. The success of the vaccination campaign is evident from the fact that all 1,440 animals in Dhamraro village remained healthy, with no deaths reported.

CWSA also facilitated linkages between the community and the relevant government livestock department to ensure sustainability beyond the project period. Farmers were guided on how to access government vaccination campaigns, seek timely advice, and obtain vaccines before seasonal disease outbreaks.

Today, the people of Dhamraro understand that timely vaccination protects not only livestock but also the livelihoods of entire families. This intervention did more than safeguard animals; it strengthened resilience, restored confidence, and renewed hope in a long-neglected community.

  1. The diseases targeted during the vaccination campaign included Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), which affects goats and sheep; Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), which affects goats, sheep, and cattle; and Sheep Pox and Goat Pox, which affect both goats and sheep. ↩︎

131

Overview

Severe heatwave conditions are currently affecting Sindh, with particularly heightened risks for vulnerable communities in Umerkot district during the late April–May 2026 pre peak and peak summer period. According to the Multi Hazard Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (MHVRA), Umerkot’s hot, semi arid climate records mean maximum temperatures of around 45°C across April, May, and June. For this district, the intensity of heatwave hazards has been assessed as “Severe to Extreme,” underscoring the urgent need for protective measures and community preparedness.

Umerkot district has an estimated population of 1.16 million people, including 0.90 million rural and 0.26 million urban residents1. The wider at-risk population includes outdoor workers, pedestrians, daily wage labourers, agricultural workers, women, children, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, and low-income households. These populations have limited access to safe drinking water, shaded spaces, cooling facilities, and timely health referral support.

The heatwave situation in Umerkot is not limited to health exposure alone. Higher temperatures increase dehydration risk, reduce water availability, disrupt outdoor labour, and affect agriculture and livestock-dependent livelihoods. This is particularly relevant in Umerkot due to its rural spread, low rainfall, hot semi-arid conditions, and dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods.

Heatwaves are forecastable hazards, and the Umerkot District Disaster Management Plan states that actions can be taken before occurrence through warnings, alerts, public precautions, awareness campaigns, water arrangements, heatstroke facilitation camps, mobile medical teams, and mobilisation of non-governmental organisations (NGO) and volunteers. Investing in early action is therefore both life-saving and cost-effective. Evidence from anticipatory action shows that every USD 1 invested in anticipatory action can yield up to USD 7 in avoided losses and added benefits, reinforcing the importance of supporting cooling centers, hydration points, awareness outreach, and referral linkages before heatwave impacts escalate 2.

Impact Snapshot

Community World Service Asia’s (CWSA) current field observations have identified multiple cases of extreme dehydration and fatigue among heat-exposed individuals, indicating increasing health risks at community level. Heatwave alerts circulated by local government/district sources further underline the need for early action before heat-related illnesses escalate into severe cases or avoidable loss of life.

Moreover prolonged heat places pressure on essential elements such as water supply points, health facilities, shaded public spaces, and electricity dependent cooling arrangements.

Heatwave risk is also closely linked with livelihoods, agriculture, livestock, and food security in Umerkot, where many people depend on rural livelihoods, daily wage labour, and outdoor work. Higher temperatures can reduce working capacity, increase dehydration risk, affect crops and livestock, and worsen water stress. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh’s heatwave guidance identifies water scarcity, agricultural disruption, and economic/livelihood disruption as key heatwave impacts.

Women, children, including those engaged in child labour, elderly persons, pregnant and lactating women, persons with disabilities, outdoor workers, daily wage earners, agricultural labourers, pedestrians, and low income households face heightened risks during extreme heat. Direct exposure, limited access to cooling, and reduced coping capacity compound their vulnerability. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the PDMA Sindh both underscore the urgent need for targeted protection measures to safeguard these groups throughout the heatwave period.

Emerging Humanitarian Needs

Water SecurityWater distribution points ensuring the supply of safe drinking water
Medical Assistance First aid, Oral Dehydration Salts (ORS) supply and urgent medical care
Emergency ShelterHeat camps, shaded resting spaces, cooling centres
Public Awareness & Coordination with District Authorities Dissemination of key messages such as avoiding outdoor exposure during peak heat hours, drinking safe water regularly, using ORS when needed, recognising symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke, and seeking timely medical support.

Community World Service Asia’s Proposed Relief & Response

CWSA has initiated voluntary heatwave response measures in coordination with the District Administration/DDMA Umerkot by establishing basic heatwave camps for heat-exposed populations pedestrians, outdoor workers, daily wage labourers including minors, and vulnerable groups. These camps are equipped with essential medicines, first aid support, oral rehydration solutions (ORS), cold drinking water, resting seats for heat exposed individuals. Awareness sessions are also being conducted at intervention locations on heatstroke prevention, signs and symptoms, precautionary measures during heatwaves, the use of ORS, first aid and timely cooling during heat related illness.These heatwave camps are set up at three locations including Umerkot city/Deputy Commissioner’s Office area, Village Ramser in Union Council Kaplore, and Government Dispensary Xheelband in Union Council Faqeer Abdullah.

These initial measures have reached approximately 2800 people so far, while the high daily turnout indicates continued need among heat-exposed groups in these and nearby high-footfall areas.

Call to Action

Community World Service Asia (CWSA) urges the international community and humanitarian partners to support an immediate, coordinated heatwave response in Umerkot, Sindh. Current heatwave alerts and field observations indicate that communities with limited access to safe water, shade, cooling spaces, and timely health support are at high exposure risk. Immediate support is required to strengthen existing camps and establish additional cooling spaces in priority locations identified with the District Administration/DDMA Umerkot.

Based on latest needs assessments, CWSA proposes establishing well equipped cooling spaces in priority locations, ensuring the availability of drinking water and oral rehydration solutions (ORS), and providing shaded resting areas with basic first aid support. Trained mobilisers will be deployed to raise awareness through local language materials, strengthen referral linkages, and maintain responsive feedback mechanisms. All interventions will be closely coordinated with district authorities and aligned with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh’s Heatwave Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

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 & Quality and Accountability
Email: tooba.siddiqi@communityworldservice.asia
Tele: 92-21-34390541-4

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

References

  1. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics Census 2023 ↩︎
  2. https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/world/saving-lives-time-and-money-evidence-anticipatory-action-may-2025 ↩︎

232
To bridge this gap, Community World Service Asia (CWSA), in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department (SWD), Government of Sindh, and networks SCAN, NHN, HRCN ,Wash First Alliance, Wide Vision Civil Society Network , FANSA, hosted an Advisory Session on Regulatory Compliances at the CSO Club in Hyderabad, April 2, 2026

Hyderabad, April 2, 2026 — Navigating the complexities of compliance shouldn’t stand in the way of impactful community work. To bridge this gap, Community World Service Asia (CWSA), in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department (SWD), Government of Sindh, hosted an Advisory Session on Regulatory Compliances at the CSO Club in Hyderabad.

This session was designed to be more than just a presentation; it was a practical space to demystify the regulatory compliances and financial hurdles, opening bank account per se, that many local organizations face daily.

Mr. Joseph Masih is giving an orientation on advisory session to the CSOs.

What we achieved:

Responding directly to the needs of CSOs, CWSA took the regulatory authority to the doorstep of the CSOs to facilitate them at the specific request of the networks. By engaging with the experts from the relevant departments, CWSA implemented a strategy designed to minimize administrative friction and address concerns in real-time. This session mobilized 67 members from five key networks:

  • Sindh Climate Action Network (SCAN)
  • National Humanitarian Network Pakistan (NHN)
  • Hyderabad Rural CSO Network (HRCN)
  • Wide Vision Civil Society Network
  • Freshwater Action Network South Asia (FANSA)
  • Wash First Alliance

The participating networks formally acknowledged and appreciated CWSA for arranging this session, recognizing it as a significant platform for direct engagement.

Mr. Joseph Masih is giving an orientation on the advisory session to the CSOs.

Banking Regulations

A major highlight of the day was the direct involvement of the commercial bank (Askari Bank) and national bank. Recognizing the banking hurdles like opening bank account that CSOs face with financial access, both banks:

  • Shared a comprehensive compliance checklist for CSOs.
  • Offered active facilitation, inviting all participating CSOs to approach them directly for assistance with banking regulations.
Mr. Muhammad Rafique Jamali (Director SWD) is giving an orientation on the NGOs registration and renewal to the CSOs.

A Technical Roadmap for Growth

Led by Mr. Muhammad Rafique Jamali (Director SWD) and Mr. Joseph Masih (Program Coordinator, CWSA), the session provided a deep dive into:

  • EAD Procedures: Guidance on signing of the MOU with the EAD for the receiving of the foreign contribution and guidance on the process and procedure to enable CSOs to upload their applications on the EAD portal.
  • Registration & Renewal: Practical steps for navigating the SWD-Sindh processes.
  • Institutional Support: A briefing on the upcoming NGO Helpdesk to be established at the SWD Office in Karachi.
  • Mr. Majid, Technical Advisor for the e-portal, participated in the session to directly engage with CSOs, ensuring their specific concerns and feedback are effectively integrated into the portal’s technical design.
Mr. Muhammad Rafique Jamali (Director SWD) receiving ajrak from the CSO.

The Way Forward

CWSA aims to expand this “doorstep facilitation” model by engaging other key authorities, including Joint Stock Companies, the Home Department, SECP, and the Charity Commission. By creating these direct lines of communication, CWSA is ensuring that CSOs can focus on what they do best, serving their communities.

336

Jami, a resident of Village Bandi, Union Council Kaplor in Sindh, grew up in a family where early marriage was a deeply rooted tradition. “In my family, marrying young was what everyone did. My parents believed it would secure our daughters’ future,” she recalled. Married at a very young age, Jami experienced early pregnancy, which affected her health and exposed her to the hidden risks of child marriage. She also witnessed the pressures within her own family, as her children’s engagements were arranged early in line with community norms.

Jami is the mother of eight children. The youngest child is six months old, while the eldest son is 16 years old. The other children are between six and 14 years of age. Jami had her first child at a young age, around 17 years old, soon after her marriage. Three of the children were born at home with the help of a traditional birth attendant, while five births took place in a government hospital.

During some of her pregnancies, Jami suffered from tuberculosis, weakness, and other health problems. She often felt very tired and experienced bleeding issues due to repeated pregnancies, short gaps between births, and limited access to proper nutrition and medical care. Having eight children in a short time span has had serious effects on her health. She has become physically weak, experiences body pain, and often feels exhausted. Repeated pregnancies without enough recovery time have negatively affected her overall well-being.

Her husband works as a daily wage labourer. During the rainy season, he is engaged in seasonal agricultural activities such as land preparation, sowing, weeding, and harvesting. Jami also supports her husband by working alongside him. Before and after the rainy season, he works as a labourer in road construction.

The family’s average monthly income is approximately PKR 24,000 (approx. USD 86), depending on the availability of work. Their average monthly expenses are around PKR 30,000 (approx. USD 107). Jami manages the shortfall and other household expenses through Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) installments.

Poverty, social pressure, and traditional norms often drive families toward early marriage in her community. “We didn’t have much money, and relatives suggested marriage as a solution,” she explained. “For many families, marrying daughters early feels like reducing one burden.”

When her daughter Khetu turned 14, similar pressure began mounting for her marriage. Jami was determined not to repeat the cycle that had shaped her own life. “I didn’t want my daughter to suffer the way I did,” she said.

Recognising the harmful effects of these practices, interventions under the Humanitarian Early Recovery & Development (HERD) and Agriculture, Gender & Livelihood (AGL) projects, implemented by Community World Service Asia (CWSA) and supported by the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) and Presbyterian World Service & Development (PWS&D), introduced gender awareness sessions and community theatre performances in Village Bandi. These activities were designed to educate families, encourage dialogue, and challenge traditional norms. The sessions provided practical information, helped families reflect on their own experiences, and enabled them to make informed decisions to protect the rights of their children.

The project began with community consultations and collaboration with village management committees to develop a curriculum on gender roles, rights, leadership, and decision-making. A total of 20 training sessions were conducted, reaching approximately 600 participants including 425 women and 175 men. These aimed to strengthen their role in household and community decision-making.

Jami and her family actively participated in the first open air theatre performance and gender awareness session held on 24 October 2025. Jami convinced her husband through persistent discussions at home, with the support of her father-in-law and mother-in-law, about the benefits of women’s empowerment and the importance of participating in training sessions. Her husband became supportive and agreed to her attendance once he understood that the sessions would help improve the family’s decision-making, income opportunities, and overall well-being.

Although he also attended the sessions, he was initially not fully convinced due to concerns about what people in the village might say. However, he received informal counseling from project staff during community outreach and household visits, which helped him better understand the value of women’s participation in capacity-building activities.

Through engagement with the sessions and performances, the family gained knowledge about the harms of child marriage, early pregnancy, and gender discrimination. They were prompted to reflect on their own life experiences and decisions. As a result, Jami and her husband made a firm commitment to delay the marriages of all their children until adulthood.

Despite pressure from relatives, they successfully refused to arrange the marriage of Khetu at age 14, ensuring her right to a safe and healthy adolescence. This decision brought great happiness to Khetu and marked a significant shift in family and community norms. At home, Khetu wakes up early in the morning and helps her mother with household chores such as cleaning, washing dishes, fetching water, preparing tea or breakfast, and taking care of her younger siblings. As the family has livestock, she also helps with feeding the animals. During the day, she continues to carry out domestic responsibilities. In the evening, she again supports her family with cooking and other household tasks.

Jami has enrolled four of her children in primary school, including her younger daughter. This means that only four out of the six school-age children are currently attending school due to financial challenges and household responsibilities. The others help their parents at home. The couple never went to school because, at that time, there were no schools in their area and girls’ education was also not given much importance. This further reflects the family’s commitment to education and empowerment, as they want their children to have better opportunities than they had.

While Khetu is currently not in school, Jami is actively seeking education and skills-development opportunities to secure her future.

Jami shared, “I want my children to make informed choices, not just follow old traditions. Knowing what’s at stake gave me the courage to protect them.”

Her story highlights how community-based awareness initiatives can empower families, encourage dialogue, and challenge harmful practices such as child marriage and early pregnancy. The project enabled Jami’s family to prioritise health, education, and rights. It highlights how sustained community engagement can bring meaningful behavioural change and promote gender equality.

360

In its fresh whitewash and with its newly painted doors, the dispensary of village Jumo Nohri looks as if it was built recently. But it first opened in 2003 with staff, including a doctor (man), Lady Health Visitor (LHV) and dispenser. Riaz Ahmed, of the same village, says that the arrangement worked well for only about three years. At that time, though the dispenser attended daily, the doctor was assigned for only two days a week. “Even when he was here, he hardly ever worked in the dispensary. Instead, he went around the village to see patients who called him. That was not free; we paid what we could afford,” alleges the man.

Though there is no data of health issues in the area, Noor Muhammad of Community World Service Asia (CWSA) says that at the time of rehabilitating the dispensary they heard of cases of diphtheria and measles because of lack of immunisation. Allah Dad, the government dispenser who has served at the facility since June 2025, explained that past immunisation efforts were poorly managed and ultimately ineffective.

In the brief years when the dispensary functioned in the early 2000s, the absence of a lady doctor meant that women, particularly expectant mothers, had no access to proper care. Families relied entirely on the village midwife, often untrained. For serious complications, patients had to travel nearly forty kilometres to hospitals in Umerkot or Chhachro. While public transport was affordable, emergencies required hiring a private vehicle, an expense of around PKR 10,000 (USD 36), far beyond the reach of most families. Those unable to bear the cost were left without options, often resigning themselves to fate.

By 2006, the dispensary had fallen into disuse. For nearly two decades, it remained largely defunct, staffed only by a part-time dispenser and offering no meaningful services to the community.

In mid-2025, the District Health Officer at Umerkot requested CWSA to revitalise the Jumo Nohri dispensary. CWSA taking charge meant a full staff headed by Dr Misbah Marri, two LHVs, namely Musarat who also doubles as counsellor and social mobiliser and Farkhanda, with medical technician Waqas Ahmed. This staff divides their week in two-day shifts between this dispensary and two others in nearby villages. However, before operations could begin in August, the building being almost ramshackle required a facelift. New doors and a fresh coat of whitewash changed the aura of the facility.

Dr Misbah Marri says that she treats some 40 to 50 patients a day on her two days in this dispensary. The most common complaints she has to deal with are skin and gastro-intestinal problems which she attributes to contaminated water. Then there are respiratory tract infections, especially during the colder months of the year. Her patients come from about a dozen nearby villages whose collective population is between 10,000 to 12,000. Since this catchment is covered by the three dispensaries that CWSA manages, patients are within range of medical assistance six days a week. According to the doctor, she and her staff focus on mother and child health, ante and post-natal care, women in general and elderly and special persons.

“We have many antenatal cases of severely malnourished women,” says Dr Marri. “Deficiencies such as in B complex and folic acid result in malformed babies. As well as that, for the same reason, we hear of so many miscarriages.” The doctor who has been with CWSA since 2023, is of the view that Thar is particularly affected by these disorders. Between the months of August 2025, when the CWSA team began work here and November, she noticed a marked improvement in general health of women, especially pregnant individuals, because of the supplements they are being administered on a regular basis. However, she says there are still cases that have to be referred to the government’s Peoples Primary Healthcare Initiative.

Waqas Ahmed, a medical technician with Community World Service Asia (CWSA), explains that poverty has long prevented local families from accessing even basic health supplements. Many relied on traditional home remedies, which offered little relief. Under previous government arrangements, essential medicines such as the antibiotic syrup Augmentin were available only at a cost of PKR 800 (approximately USD 3) per pack, far beyond the reach of most villagers, who endured their illnesses in silence. Today, with these medicines provided free of charge, the community has seen a marked decline in respiratory tract infections.

Lady Health Visitor (LHV) Musarat, who also serves as a social mobiliser, has been conducting regular health awareness sessions in the area. In her four months of service, she has observed a troubling pattern.

She narrates the case of a woman brought in on a camel cart because she was unable to walk even if assisted, leave alone walking on her own. She was bleeding heavily when Dr Marri and LHV Farkhanda provided her first aid for high blood pressure. During treatment the patient fainted but was soon stabilised and referred to Civil Hospital, Umerkot. In November, the woman was in the pink of health, according to Musarat.

Farkhanda relates the case of a woman named Zainab who was so weak from under nourishment that she could not even speak. She was severely anaemic and the doctor suspected heavy intestinal helminth infection. She was administered a drip and given necessary anti-helminth drugs as well as vitamin supplements. She too visits the health facility on her own now along with her two children.

Riaz Ahmed of the village says that since the CWSA intervention, the Jumo Nohri dispensary has been a boon for local women. He says it is a first-class facility right at their doorsteps. Earlier, the nearest facility for them was the Umerkot hospital, almost 45kilometres and a considerable expense away. But that does not mean that men are not benefitting, he adds. “We too get quality medication and for which we pay nothing.”

492

Though Kumbhar Bhada lies only 45 kilometres east of Umerkot town, its setting among vast sand dunes gives it the feel of a remote desert settlement. Home to around a hundred families, all of whom are Muslim, the village has long struggled with limited educational facilities. Two government schools exist, one co-educational and another for boys, but opportunities for girls have remained scarce. In the early years of this century, the government allocated a single room to function as a girls’ school. For a community where families often have ten or more children, this provision was far from sufficient, leaving many girls without access to meaningful education.

No official teacher was appointed, however. In this vacuum, an NGO sent a woman teacher to work in the village. This private project lasted some five years and with its end the school closed down in 2007. Though some rare girl students joined the boys school, most simply dropped out and became their family’s help in household chores or in the fields. In a nutshell, since about 2007 there was no girls’ school in the village. For parents, themselves generally uneducated, this was no significant setback. Girls at home meant they could be gainfully employed with the parents to help at home and in the fields. However, there were also those rare parents who wanted their daughters to be educated.

In January 2024, community elders appealed to Community World Service Asia (CWSA) to revive the abandoned girls’ school and bring it back to life with a dedicated teacher. Responding to this call, CWSA appointed a qualified woman teacher and equipped the school with resources to make learning both meaningful and enjoyable. Children were introduced to sports equipment such as hoops and balls, and delighted in the novelty of a steel frame fitted with two swings. Classrooms were enriched with colourful teaching aids, foam blocks marked with alphabets and numbers, along with picture books, transforming lessons into engaging experiences.

Another highlight, under a sister project also implemented by CWSA, was the introduction of a school feeding programme, ensuring that every child received a nutritious lunch. The menu varied daily, with vegetables and lentils forming the staple, and chicken biryani served once a week, a meal that not only nourished but also brought joy to the students. This initiative helped safeguard children from malnutrition and encouraged regular school attendance.

As the single classroom could not accommodate cooking and serving, the community rallied together to expand the facilities. A hut was built beside the classroom to serve as a dining area, while a small shed became the cookhouse. The village community centre was also handed over to the school, repurposed as a pantry. These collective efforts created a welcoming environment where children could learn, play, and thrive.

Rather tentatively the attendance register listed some 35 students in the first week. Numbers slowly ticked upward and soon there were 80 until the rolls now stand at 120. As the students take their classes in the single room, two local women in the hut adjacent to it prepare lunch. During the break, the students take turns, 20 at a time, to be fed.

Gulshan, third among five sisters and seven brothers, is in Grade 2 and says she is eight years old. She started classes some years ago in the coeducation school, but soon dropped out. She has no idea if her parents thought it improper to her, a grown girl even at the age of eight, to be studying with boys, but she says she was put to work helping her mother with household chores. During the farming season, she went with her parents to their small holding where she minded her younger brother while the parents worked.

Though one of her older brothers takes local transport to Kaplor, six kilometres away, to attend school in Grade 5, none of her other sisters are in school. Some of her younger siblings do attend the local mosque for religious lessons, however. Quite clearly her family is not one that lays any great merit on girls’ education.

Gulshan has been in school since it restarted in January 2024 and in almost two years has worked her way to Grade 2. In between, her attendance became irregular and she relates that her parents would take her to work in the fields. Outside of farming season, when her father goes to work in a confectionery shop in Karachi, her mother insists she stays home to help with housework. She says she wanted to be in school and it was only after much pleading with the elders that she was able to resume classes. She affirms that she will continue to attend school even if the lunch programme comes to an end when the CWSA project ends in 2026. She has to fulfil her dream of being a doctor one day.

Eleven-year-old Ayaza, the third among three sisters and six brothers, carries a story marked by resilience. Living with a polio-affected leg that causes her to walk with a limp, she refuses to let this challenge define her. In fact, she considers herself fortunate compared to one of her brothers, who suffers from polio in both legs and can only crawl. When her parents are busy tending their small plot of land , where Ayaza also lends a hand, her father supplements the family’s income by working as a labourer on construction sites. For the family, however, education has never been a priority. Only one of her brothers attends the local boys’ school, leaving Ayaza and most of her siblings without access to formal learning.

When asked about her future, eleven-year-old Ayaza speaks with quiet conviction. After completing Grade 7, she dreams of becoming a teacher. Her heart is firmly set on this path, and she insists she will do whatever it takes to achieve it. For Ayaza, the daily school lunch is not the only motivation to attend classes; she carries with her higher ambitions and the hope of shaping young minds one day.

For Grade 2 students, both girls read surprisingly well from their primers. Even random pages are read fluently. This surely is a reflection on the efficiency of the teacher and her teaching methods.

In the two years since CWSA rehabilitated the school, a Children’s Day and a Cultural Day festivals have been held. Both events were fun-filled days of games and eats attended by students of the other two schools as well. According to the parents, despite the schools functioning since the mid-1990s, these events were the first such to have ever taken place in the village. It seems this might be the reason parental interest in their children’s education has risen and the students are not being withdrawn to help at home.

As the CWSA project draws to an end in late 2026, the school will be handed over to the government and a lady teacher appointed here. Going by the yearning for education seen among the students, it is clear that the village committee will raise a clamour in the event of government apathy. Surely children like Gulshan and Ayaza and all the others who dream of being useful adults need to be given the chance to prove themselves.

123...34Next Page 1 of 34
© Community World Service Asia