WeCare-Informed Parenting Project 37

Inception of First Five Learning Centers from GlobalGiving Funds:

We have identified five main communities to start building our centers through GlobalGiving funds. In initial stages as per our model we have completed 95% of the process, which includes community identification, community discussion and mobilization, recruitment of teachers, selection of building, awareness session for the community and setting up the classrooms with learning resources. We are now ready to welcome students and parents to the center from March 2022. Due to heavy snow fall in the region the all the learning activities resume from March in Skardu region.

The villages namely

1. Village Name: AWIP Centre Hassan Colony       Number of children enrollment:       40

2. Village Name: AWIP Centre Sundos                    Number of children enrollment:       60

3. Village Name: AWIP Centre Uranga                     Number of children enrollment:       45

4. Village Name: AWIP Centre 411 Astana Muhallah     Number of children enrollment:  35

5. Village Name: AWIP Centre katpana                      Number of children enrollment:      40

The mission of Rupani Foundation is to engage this region by integrating marginalized areas and people into the rapidly growing national and global mainstream socio-economic societies. RF’s focus has been on programs in Skill Development and Early Childhood Development for the improvement in socio-economic conditions of the people living in inaccessible areas. Through the project We Care Informed Parenting, we firmly believe that the Northern and far Southern Areas of Pakistan possess significant potential for growth. The educational achievement, work ethics, dedication, and determination of the people to improve their living conditions, are an encouragement and inspiration for the project. 

Area Profile:

Skardu is situated at an elevation of nearly 2,500 meters (8,202 feet) in the Skardu Valley, at the confluence of the Indus and Shigar Rivers. The city is an important gateway to the 8000s of the nearby Karakoram mountain range. Skardu is the second-highest populated city in Gilgit-Baltistan having approximately a population of 300000 with access to Pre-Schools education, 30.9% of children between ages 3-5, and 40.8% of children between ages 6-16 have access to public and private schools. There are no facilities for the below age 3 children except the AWIP center in the whole city. In general Gilgit-Baltistan, 43.7 % of 3-5 children have access to pre-school education.

Approach:

The action will adopt a community based approach by involving local support and community based organizations to implement AW model on ground. RF will provide support in terms of full resources including books, toys, furniture, carpets and stationary along with technical trainings to the teaching staff and academic support. Whereas, the community based organizations will be responsible to run and manage affairs of the centre through a community led Early Childhood Committee at village level. The committee will charge nominal fee from the parents in order to ensure continuity and sustainability of the action.

Steps & Progress (November 2021 – January 2022): 

The following progress have been achieved so far

1.      Announcement of the project and funding opportunity

2.      Announcement for statement of interest from the community representatives

3.      Dialogues and meetings with the communities and stakeholders

4.      Visit and assessment of the center building/infrastructure and accessibility

5.      Selection of Family Support Motivators (Teachers) for the centers (two per village)

6.      Capacity 4 weeks building trainings for the teachers

7.      Community mobilization to send their children along with mothers to the center

8.      Setting the centers with learning resources

Resources Used: Transportation, food for participants and experts, Training material, learning resources for 5 classrooms.

Programme Model:

Rupani Foundation is one of the pioneers in introducing conception to 3 years model in rural and urban settings of Pakistan. Its flagship Agah-Walidain programme is a unique model which reaches to the newly-wed couples, families, parents and children. It does not focus only in upbringing the child but also creating harmony within the family to nurture the child from conception to 3 years of age - the most crucial early years of life. The overall objective of AW-IP is to empower parents for optimum development of their children and to set a pathway of lifelong learning through timely rendering of information and support during the first three years. The AW-IP program helps children to provide an active, positive, and stimulating nurturing and grooming environment both in homes as well as at AW-IP centers. The centre based activities offer two hour daily sessions for mothers and children whereas, the home-based activities include monthly home visits to every enrolled child. The major components of AW programme are;

Marriage Counseling: Helps newly married couples to live a healthy and sustained marital life by creating trust among couples through counseling sessions.

Prenatal Education: Provides awareness on pregnancy, prenatal and neonatal care to pregnant women, mothers, families and communities.

Health and Nutrition: Sensitize parents by provision of relevant information to improve health and nutrition practices. Dietary plans for pregnant and lactating mothers are essential part of nutrition sessions.

Family Counseling: Helps families to develop strong bonds within immediate relationships in order to keep family unit intact; and, within intra-family relationships, hence enabling them to establish a social safety network through which they could attain social sustainability.  

Informed Parenting: Enables parents in understanding the roles and responsibilities concerning their children, and prepares them ultimately to work effectively for advancement of their children in future.

Child Rights and Protection: Empowers children by acquainting them and their parents about child rights and possible acts of child abuse, and prepares them to show maximum resilience against acts of child abuse.

Adult Literacy: One of the lucrative products of the programme is to equip the parents and grandparents with basic reading and writings skills.

Community Awareness: Help the communities to comprehend issues related to community children and mothers. It facilitates them in devising workable plans to address to issues, thereby paving path for a prosperous collective future for the communities.