Success Stories from Caritas Pakistan: Empowering Communities and Building Resilience

 Mr. Sahil – Adhara Rawalpindi

Overcoming Physical Challenges and Starting a Business During COVID-19

Name: Sahil

Age: 18 years

Sahil a young boy with the age of 18 suffering from differently abled since his birth, an only child of his parents and only source of income after the death of his father. He lives in Adhara Rawalpindi District. Physically challenged but with having courage, he started his earning through selling masks, sanitizer and other hygienic kits during the upsurge of COVID-19. After COVID-19 he became hopeless and suffered from extreme hunger as people didn’t buy masks and hygiene kits, with physical conditions he was unable to earn for himself through other means as well, and he ended up with the short off all the stock which he had for selling.

Caritas identified his needs and encouraged him through awareness session and training on UNCHRPD, VSLA and specifically on business management and financial literacy. After empowering him a knowledge and equipping with skillset, he was provided a cart along with masks and hygiene kits. Now he is earing well for his mother and for his own needs. He is hoping that soon he will be sustainable in this business and will continue to set an example in society that with a strong mindset you can eliminate any disability.

Shamshad – St. Joseph Hospice Rawalpindi

From Dependency to Independence: Gaining New Skills and Motivation

Name: Shamshad

Age: 30 years

Shamshad 30 years old women, and a graduate who lack motivation and courage for purposeful life due to her physical disability, she was living a purposeless life in St. Joseph Hospice Rawalpindi, completely dependent on Hospice. Caritas assess her needs and found that she has an ability to learn and lead. Through multiple counseling sessions and with three month stitching and basic computer literacy training course and training on business management and financial literacy.

Now her vision for life is changed, as she is well equipped to earn for herself and teach others the same skills which she has learned. Caritas has provided her with personal tool kit for stitching and desktop system to make use of her skill for continues growth and earning.

Hurab Zafar – Rimsha Colony Rawalpindi

A Young Girl’s Journey Back to Education

Name: Hurab Zafar D/o Zafar Masih & Asia bibi

Age: 14 years

Hurab Zafar was the student of adult literacy class. She was identified through door to door visits of social mobilizer. She lives along with her parents. She has Four siblings (Two brothers and Two sisters). She is the eldest child. Her father is a sanitary worker and mother is domestic maid. She left her studies from 3 class because her siblings were small and she has to look after her home beside her mother. Her Parents wanted that she studied regularly in government school but her mother is domestic maid that’s why she could not study. With motivation by project team she got admission in adult literacy center. She was regular student and studied with keen interest and she was brilliant student. She studied 2 years regular in adult literacy class.

She passed her 5th class in the month of July 2021 and now she got admission in PTV school in 6th class which is near to Rimsha colony. Her parents and Hurab is very happy that she has restarted her studies and she can make her future bright.

Saul Shahzad – PTV School, Rawalpindi

Transitioning to a Better Educational System with Parental Support

Name: Saul Shahzad, S/o Shahzad Masih & Nazia Sajid

Age: 9 years

Saul Shahzad was a student at the school of hope and he passed 2nd class from school of hope. He was identified through door-to-door visits which were conducted by SCP team. He lives along with his family and he has 4 siblings (3brother, 1 sister). His father is sanitary worker and mother is also sanitary worker at private school. His father and mother were much concerned about him and his studies. They used to send him to school regularly and always in proper and neat clean in uniform.

He was the brilliant student and teachers were happy from his performance. He was good in studies and his parents decided to send him in better education system and they decided to send him to PTV school. He passed 2 class from school of hope and got admission in 3 class in PTV school. He is regular student and his parents are also very happy because of his performance.

Muhammad Imran – Chak No. 34 SB, Sargodha

Name: Muhammad Imran

Age: 45  years

Embracing Organic Farming for Sustainable Income

I am Muhammad Imran 45 years old and resident of Chak No, 34 SB district Sargodha. I have 7 members in my family and all responsibilities of livelihood are being handled by me, because my parents are older and my children are studying in primary. I am holding one and half Acre of land in heritage where I grew wheat in Rabi and maize in Khreef season but my food was not secure and I have not enough money to run the setup of family smoothly. Household items have to purchase on daily bases in which vegetables are more expensive because these have to buy on daily bases.

Financial Security and Future Aspirations

When I started to attend SAFBIN awareness sessions that awareness was totally different compare to my practice. I was shocked how organic farming is possible. Because i was spending much money to buy inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers. In one session they provided us seeds for green manuring I sowed in my farm and after one month I cultivated and mixing in land. After one-month SAFBIN team suggested to grow vegetable because vegetables are a boon for improving the farmer’s income and wellbeing. These vegetables not even cooked in home but I sell different vegetable that is always in demand of every kitchen and also a source of daily income. Resulting in, from the half acre I produced Rup, 150,000 that was a big amount and surprising for me and my family to earn such amount in small piece of land in one season. Now I am cultivating seasonal vegetables according to the demand of villagers and market which are chemical free and healthy.

For the past four years, SAFBIN program has been helping to build resilience and improve food security of smallholder farmers in different way. Muhammad Imran was one of the first farmers to establish a Farm with integrated approaches (organic farming). Now he is running a sustainable operation and has since shared his new knowledge with neighboring farmers.

He now has financial security. Before establishing his farm, he had to stretch his limited income to cover his family’s needs. Earning money with savings, he has plans to pay for children’s studies and renovate his old house. While he sells the Vegetables locally and in market, he keeps a portion for his own family that serves as an important dietary supplement for his family. He is very much thankful to Caritas Pakistan for organizing this important training and sessions under SAFBIN program.

Nazeeran Bibi – Chak No.38 DB, Khushab

Name: Nazeeran Bibi 

Age: 45  years

A Landless Farmer’s Transformation Through SAFBIN Program

Nazeeran Bibi, is a land less farmers from village 38 DB district Khushab. She is very active and helpful in organizing different meeting and activities in her village with SAFBIN VRP (Village Resource person).

In the beginning she did not accept SAFBIN program and use to taunt local VRP and her husband was also did not cooperate with Caritas team. But gradually when she noticed and attend regular meeting with the farmers, involve in PRA process, meeting with government officials’ involvement in different sessions and regular visits by VRP, she had changed her mind and expressed and willingness to be part of SAFBIN Program.

Promoting Healthy Agricultural Practices

Now, she has started to attend meeting of SHFC (Smallholder Farmer community) and always welcomes the local VRP and feels happy to be associated with SAFBIN. She also had received Amount for Lease money and has one-acre land on lease and cultivated wheat for growing own food and there she works together with her husband in farm. Now she expecting that this year I have adequate food in her home for their family to ensuring food security. Now she is also working as Resource Person and organizing SHFCs meeting in her home and showing them her nutritional garden where she always using compost and other Agro-Ecological practices to promote biodiversity and always have access to food that is harvested, prepared and consumed by family members from her homestead.

She is thankful to SAFBIN program and staff for giving her idea to develop homestead in her home because SAFBIN idea help her to improve income generation and livelihood intervention by promoting healthy eating and improving Agro-Ecological practices. She also received of government subsidized poultry unit, and through poultry unit she is doing integrated approach and biological-pest control in her homestead

Gul Bahadar Khan – Pir Sabaq Nowshera – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Rebuilding Life After the Flood of 2022

My name is Gul Bahadar Khan. I am from Pir Sabaq District Nowshera Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Most part of my home affected in recent flood 2022.We have three rooms in our home. We are 12 family members including my parents and children living in this house. Two rooms are completely affected due to heavy rain and flood. After the flood, Caritas Pakistan helped us one tent for temporary shelter. In bad conditions we were using this tent. My whole family happy after receiving the tent, because we actually need that.

Gratitude for Caritas Pakistan’s Timely Assistance

I am thankful to Caritas Pakistan Islamabad-Rawalpindi because it is helping the people according to their needs. Criteria of distribution was so good. I am very thankful to Caritas for helping us in our bad time.

Abdul Wahab – Khawas Kaly – Pir Sabaq Nowshera KPK

Receiving Essential Aid During a Time of Crisis

My name is Abdul Wahab. I belong to Khawas kaly Pir Sabaq Nowshera District Nowshera Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Most part of my home affected in recent flood 2022. We are 9 family members living in this house. Our home is completely affected. After the flood we have no place for shelter. No one distributed tents in our village. Then Caritas Pakistan team visited my house and asked about our needs. We requested for tent and food. I filled my coupon during the survey conducted by Caritas Pakistan.

Acknowledging Caritas Pakistan’s Effective Flood Response

CPIR helped us and donated us one tent and also Dry Ration (Food Package). I observed that CPIR has done great work in flood response. The methodology of identification and selection was very good, and distribution of different items was according to needs. I am very thankful to whole Caritas team for doing a great job.