Thematic Areas

Education

Education is one of the major thematic areas of Saibaan. Due to the globalization affect, Education is becoming the main focus of Saibaan, as without education the dream of sustainable development cannot be achieved. Saibaan has a firm commitment to increase the children’ enrolment in the schools, develop and strengthen parents’ teachers associations in Govt. schools to improve the educational standards of schools. Offering a support to education by involving the communities, which is perhaps the most important factor in creating a successful future for generations that will have to cope with a rapidly changing environment. Saibaan focuses on both formal and non-formal primary education, adult education, gaps in education and advocacy campaign. The achievement in the thematic area of Education includes Revitalize/strengthen Parents Teacher Councils(PTCs), Linkages of community members with stakeholders that include Education department, DRU, representatives of local government and other actors, arranging tournaments and games and debate competitions of schools to get students involved in healthy activities, Provision of books to the students in target schools to increase the reading habits among students, Provision of missing facilities in schools, Teachers Training Program in MGT and Construction & rehabilitation of schools Shelters.

Water Sanitation and Health

WASH has been one of the main thematic areas of Saibaan. To address the Water, Sanitation & Hygiene issues of the communities, Saibaan initiated all WASH interventions in the targeted areas. Saibaan had provided shelters, household latrines, repaired and maintenance of damaged water supply schemes and some of the new water supply schemes including water storage tanks at village level and installed hand pumps as well. Saibaan had also formed O&M Committee at village level and trained them for O&M of water supply and Sanitation schemes. Saibaan has been involved in executing WASH projects that includes both hard and soft components. Provision of drinking and domestic water to the communities during different emergencies and after emergency rehabilitation of water supply schemes through gravity flow system, dug well & Hand pumps. In Sanitation provision of basic latrines in schools, Health facilities and communities. Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) School Led Total Sanitation (SLTS) Women Led Total Sanitation (WLTS) and Pakistan Approach to Total Sanitation (PATS) approaches have been implemented by Saibaan for awareness raising of all segments of the communities. Inclusive integrated messaging with communities on COVID-19, hygiene and infection prevention messages, integrated with awareness raising on nutrition. Construction of hand washing station at government institute and raising awareness about health and hygiene.

Child right & Child Protection

Child rights and child protection is the essential part of Saibaan intervention from its evolution. Saibaan had implemented many project for the protection of child rights, to minimize the risk of child protection in accordance with wellbeing of child and to raise awareness among masses about the child rights. Saibaan had wonderful achievement of establishing, Secretariat of Child Rights Advocacy network (CRAN) at district level. The objective of CRAN is to ensuring and improvising the child rights and protection situation prevailing at district level. Several studies have been conducted with active involvement of Government departments, INGOs and National Level NGOs working on child rights. Different project have been implemented by Saibaan with financial support of international donors to minimize the risk of child labor and protection in accordance with wellbeing of child.

Following interventions have been arranged over the time:

Child rights and child protection awareness session conducted at community and school level.
Children confidence building programs, walks, sessions, campaigns, and trainings, celebrations of national and international days.
Formation and capacity building of child forum at community level to promote awareness about child rights and enhance their leadership qualities.
Established community based child protection mechanism

Sustainable Livelihoods

Livelihoods survival and improvement is vital for the sustainable change among communities. Since its inception, Saibaan has significantly contributed in rehabilitation and improvement of livelihoods of the marginalized communities. Many projects have been executed following an integrated approach with focus on livelihoods initiatives. These projects were aimed to restore the livelihoods for the disasters (earthquake, floods etc) stricken and most marginalized communities through improvement in agriculture, livestock, poultry, skill enhancement and market linkages. Mostly the projects were focused on improving human capital e.g. skills, knowledge, health and ability to work. The physical basic infrastructure, such as roads, water & sanitation, schools, and producer goods, including tools, livestock and equipment are also provided or improved as per need of the target communities. At local level the capacities and access of the communities has been enhanced to financial resources including savings, credit, and income from employment, trade and business opportunities.

Saibaan also implemented innovative gender based sustainable livelihood improvement and revival projects. These projects were focused on the most vulnerable and poor target households to bring improvement in their lives. The main focus are the women, marginalized and excluded segments of the society. The target communities have enhanced their management capacities to operate their groups in an efficient and sustainable manner and targeted communities are actively managing their business to contribute in their family income.

Agriculture Rehabilitation

Saibaan initiated many project to improve livelihood of the targeted communities. Different activities have been carried out to improve the agriculture in the targeted area. The activities includes but not limited to Trainings on kitchen gardening, Agriculture Extension Workers (AEWs) trained, Field terraced, Irrigation channels repaired/constructed, Provision of improved seeds, fertilizers and toolkit, Linkages developed with GLAs and training for better yields from crops in the targeted areas.

Livestock and Poultry Development

Achievements in the sector includes Restocking of livestock and poultry, Livestock Extension Workers (LEWs) training. Poultry Extension Workers (PEWs) training, Vaccinations campaigns for prevention of losses in livestock and poultry, Linkages developed with government line agencies and other service providers.

Capacity Building

To improve the livelihood of the communities Saibaan had organized many capacity building training, following training have been provided to the targeted communities. Plumber, Electrician trainings Mason trainings, Carpenters trainings, driving trainings for boys, Furniture making trainings, embroidery trainings for women and Tailoring trainings. In the result of these training now the people who got the training are now self-sufficient and supporting their families and siblings.

Humanitarian and Emergency Response

Saibaan development Organization always have a vital role during emergencies. Right from beginning Saibaan involve in all the emergencies and responded for the safety and help of the people in need. During the devastating earthquake in 2005 CEO of Saibaan himself involved in rescue mission and drive ambulance for 16 days and shifted many wounded people to the city hospital in Mansehra and Abbottabad. Saibaan implemented many emergency response, recovery and rehabilitation projects during 2005 earthquake, flood emergency in 2010, 2013 and 2022 and also during CORONA virus in 2021-22. Saibaan distributed food, shelter, medical help, NFI kits and other emergency material to the effected people. Saibaan also constructed mosques, houses, school, roads, small bridges, pedestrian bridges, rope trollies, demo latrines and other damaged infrastructure including retaining wall, gabion wall etc in the disaster prone areas. During the Corona virus Saibaan supported government institution by providing them medical equipment’s including (Oxygen Concentrator and cylinder, Suction Machines, Nebulizers, Pulse Oximeter, Cardiac – Respiratory Monitor and Syringe needle cutter etc. PPE kits including equipment’s like Medical Face Mask, N95 Respirator, Disposable OT Caps, Surgical Latex Gloves, Gown, Hazmat Suits, Hand Sanitizer, Liquid Soap Cleaner, Alcohol Swab and Toilet Roll etc. WASH IPC kits includes Liquid Soap leaner (500ml), Bar Soap, Disinfectant material (Bleach), Bio-Hazard Bags, Gum Boots, Color waste bin, Wheel Barrow, Spade and Heavy duty Gloves). Saibaan also constructed handwashing station at hospital and educational institutes and also rehabilitated medical centers including DHQ, RHCs and BHU.

Social Mobilization

Social Mobilization has been an essential part of the working mechanism of Saibaan, It is a powerful tool to address inequities through community engagement and grassroots led actions. Without community participation the real essence of development cannot be achieved from the project activities. So far Saibaan had established more than 800 men, women and joint Village Development Organizations (VDOs) and strengthened by providing Leadership Management Skill Training (LMST), Community Management Skill Training (CMST), Citizen Community Board (CCB) and Office equipment. Many VDOs registered as CCBs with Social Welfare Department. VDOs have now taken leadership role, opened bank accounts, generating saving, developed network alliances with Govt. and NGOs. One of the great achievement is that, women are actively involved in productive activities and decision making process. Saibaan plays a bridging role between these grassroots level organizations and service providers (Govt. and other developmental organizations) for the capacity buildings of these community institutions by organizing different trainings and exposure visits to enable the target communities to take charge of development initiatives on sustainable basis.

Disaster Risk Reduction

Disaster risk reduction and disaster management have been the crosscutting themes of Saibaan. Therefore during the implementation of every project, the communities have been capacitated to face any future disasters. Saibaan hired the services of reputed training institutes and organized disaster risk reduction trainings to the communities to mitigate the effects of any possible future disasters. Community action plans have been developed to be followed during the disasters with assigned roles and responsibilities. Disaster management committees are also in place in all the target areas with defined roles. These committees have been provided with refresher trainings to further enhance their capacities in disaster risk reduction. These communities are also provided with disaster risk reduction kits to better cope with any disastrous situation. The involvement of women has also been ensured in these trainings and separate kits have been provided to women disaster risk reduction committees. Achievements in the sector of DRR includes, formation of Disaster Management Committees (DMCs), comprehensive DRR training for the DMCs, Provision of Rescue Kits, Land terracing Widening /repairing of walking tracks and bridges, Early warning systems and construction of retaining wall.

Climate change

The rapidly emerging climatic change is one of the biggest threat to the sustainability of life. The phenomenon of global warming is a major cause of environmental degradation. According to German Watch, Pakistan has been ranked globally in the top ten countries most affected by climate change in the past 20 years owing to its geographical location. Climatic changes are expected to have wide-ranging impacts, such as: reduced agricultural productivity, increased variability of water availability, increased coastal erosion and sea water incursion, and increased frequency of extreme climatic events. Keeping in view the changing climate Saibaan added Climate change in thematic area of Saibaan. For last few years Saibaan has been implementing different project in this thematic area. We always believe in” Do No Harm Policy”. Different activities has been conducted by Saibaan to create awareness among communities and development practices that includes plantation drive, awareness raising session and walk, trainings and workshops. In our field area, Saibaan introduces small Hydro Power Generators, Solar water Heaters at communal units, Solar cookers in high altitude areas and protection wall. Overall Saibaan has been contributed remarkably not only to raise awareness about climate change but also prepared the communities about the dire effects of climate change. Furthermore Saibaan privileged to have membership of different climatic authorities including FANSA, CANSA, IUCN and CSCCC.

Gender and Women Empowerment

Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Saibaan works to improve the lives of people in the targeted areas by addressing the distinct and intersectional needs of women and girls, men and boys, in all their diversity. Saibaan Development organization ensures empowering women to participate fully in all aspects of life and this is essential to build stronger economies, and improve the quality of life for families and communities. Live & Learn aims to promote equality between women and men in all aspects of economic, social and political life. Saibaan work towards gender equality, including the full and equal involvement of women in shaping the vision of development, setting development agendas, and determining needs and priorities. Saibaan Development Organization work to establish strong and functional relationships with men and women in a community before introducing any topics/activities or trainings that could easily be perceived as attempts to influence culture and challenge men’s authority. Saibaan have initiated different women empowerment projects resulting in a considerable change in communities‟ attitude towards women. Even women themselves did not realize what their roles and responsibilities are in addition to the reproductive role. Women involvement in decision making at village level has considerably increased after Saibaan interventions in these areas. Men now acknowledge the basic rights of women by allowing them to participate in village level initiatives. Women unpaid care work which is never recognized by the men ever. For this purpose Saibaan initiated project that includes activities regarding promotion of women unpaid care work with men and women.

Infrastructure Development

Infrastructure development is one of the core thematic area of all Saibaan projects. Saibaan played a vital role in infrastructure development and improving living standard of people of rural areas of Pakistan. Al the project that have been completed by Saibaan, infrastructure development was the core theme. For the infrastructure development different activities have been carried out including construction of link roads, Walking tracks, Irrigation channels construction, construction of Protection/Retaining/Gabion walls, Field terracing, Installation of Safe Drinking Water Schemes, construction of Women Friendly Halls, Ponds for the drinking water of animals, Construction of Small suspension bridges, Construction of small Hydro power projects, Installation of Rope-trolleys and Construction of Demo-Latrines etc.