I would like to really thank you for the work you are doing for the Orphans and those children who have lost hope in life( become hopeless) due the difficulties they pass through. I too have a non-profit and non-government organization here in south western Uganda called (REDEEM THE ORPHAN CAMPAIGN- R.O.C), which has been in operation since 2007. The vision of this organization is to cater for the basic needs of orphans and those children whose families are in sorry conditions that are not favorable for the welfare of children plus those whose parents lost lives to HIV/AIDS. The organization provides education, shelter, food, clothes, religious stand and counseling and others at no cost all of which I have been doing in the last five years though with a few difficulties. So I take this privilege to ask you if our Organization can be partner with you in running up and down for the life of Children. While I wait for your response,
I remain yours in Christ.

MUGISHA GILBERT-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REDEEM THE ORPHAN CAMPAIGN(R.O.C)
PO BOX 9015 KAMPALA-UGANDA EAST AFRICA
KABALE DISTRICT- WESTERN UGANDA

Women Development Organization (WDO) a fitting forum that seeks to empower communities especially women to become the catalyst for transforming their social, economic and political sphere into a participatory, pro-people system that is led by accountable, transparent, dedicated and honest leadership at every walk of life.

WDO is a non-government and non-profit organization that strives for a peaceful society with gender equality human rights and access to development. It envisages socio-political and economic empowerment of marginalized groups particularly women, peasants and minorities. It was established by a group of female social activists of Mardan in 1995 and is registered under Society Act XXI of 1860 and Social Welfare Department.

WDO is district based grassroots level organization whose commitment revolves around concerted civic action through social movement to bring about changes for the uplift of target communities. With a great deal of passion and commitment it has been able to established vocational centers for women. Special focus was given to those who were in no position to fight for their rights focusing on helping them find ways to generate income. WDO initially with limited resources was able to extend its work in the year 2000 with the financial support of the South Asia Partnership – Pakistan. WDO’s has transformed its economic development program into establishment of increased number of skill training, literacy and vocational centers in the surrounding villages of Mardan.

During two-and-half decades of work with women, WDO has focused on their socio-economic and political empowerment and issues of combating violence against women and children. WDO is also engaged in other development avenues, such as, citizen empowerment program, home based workers network, political education program to motivate women to contest local elections, Democratic Education Program, to promote democratic values and provide guidance and encourage the candidates for peasant, workers and minorities’ seats.

Vision

“WDO envisions a progressive society where fundamental
Human rights are equally ensured through cooperative and participatory Approach”

Our Mission

“To become true voice of the marginalized groups in transforming their peaceful, socially and politically coherent society with the objective to transform their equal participation of all the segments of every walk of life for their empowerment and access to sustainable development”

Our Values

• Mutual respect, recognizing and the innate dignity to the marginalized groups.
• Equity and Justice, to ensure that everyone – irrespective of sex, age, race, color, class and religion has equal opportunity for their basic human rights.
• Strengthening marginalized groups – especially women by forming effective independent organizational structure and Network.

Means of Action

• Awareness Building & Mass Sensitization.
• Capacity Building and Advocacy to mobilize the communities.
• Interactive and Participatory approaches for development needs.
• Enabling environment for socio-economic development of home based women workers, entrepreneurs and peasant workers.

Objectives

• Raising awareness about gender equity and fundamental rights of the people especially women and children.
• To promote & enhance knowledgebase of the community about self reliant, participatory and sustainable development in areas of education, their socio-political condition and economic status.
• Enabling environment for the target stakeholders, to understand social, political and economic challenges both domestic/national and international.
• Maximizing outreach program for skill development and awareness building programs for the women to improve their socio-economic and Political status.
• Strengthening female, peasant workers groups by forming their independent organizational structure and Networks.

WDO Uniqueness and Proficiency

• Only grassroots level organization fully functional in almost 68% of villages in target UC’s of Mardan.
• It has over 56 volunteer Master trainers and 10 regular Lead Mentors trained in human rights, gender mainstreaming, capacity building, interactive theater, political empowerment and peace building and conflict transformation.
• WDO has a dedicated female documentary production unit, duly supported by technical support staff and equipments.
• WDO has the distinction of covering various development issues through its interactive capacity building and mass sensitization approaches.
• Based on untiring humanitarian efforts WDO President Ms. Nusrat Ara, was selected as Noble Peace Women among 1000 peace women across the globe.
Linkages and Geographical presence

WDO is grassroots level National Based Non-governmental organization with its strong presence in NWFP’s Rural and Urban settings at various districts With its head office in district Mardan

WDO has also established its Regional Focal Points in Peshawar, SWAT, Dir, Haripur, Lahore, Sialkot, Haiderabad and Islamabad.

It is also affiliated with various National and international Donor agencies, research and academic institutions.

It has developed its strong linkages – National –wider inter-provincial networking with other partners, i.e.

• SAP-Pk ( Projects )
• Action Aid ( Projects )
• SPO ( Projects )
• DCHD ( Projects )
• IRC (Theatre & Documentary production )
• International Foundation For Election System – IFES (CEP Program )
• Church World Service – CWS ( Trainings )
• Sangi Foundation – Interactive Theatre Performances
• Khwendo Kor (K.K) Interactive Theatre Performances
• NCHD ( Support to Establish Non-Formal Schools & ORS Campaign )
• SSEWA-Pak ( Relief Package for IDPs of Swat & Buner funded by
• Tearfund-UK)
• Omar Asghar Development Foundation ( Package for Women IDPs )

Projects & Interventions

1. Awareness Building & Mobilization
• Community Awareness Program – CAP: (March 1999- May 2001)
Based on Human Rights Education, the program was started in collaboration with DCHD (Democratic Commission for Human Development) in seven different communities to enhance awareness about fundamental and constitutional rights.
• Supporting Democratic Electoral Process – SDEP
(Sept 1999-March 2000)
SDEP was a short-term activity to create awareness about Electoral Process, Right to Vote and Political Rights of citizens. It was duly supported by SAP-Pk.
• Awareness Building and Mobilization Project – ABM Project
(Jan 2000- December 2001)
Pioneering & comprehensive Awareness Building and Mobilization program for the Rural Women with four different components focusing on five different communities. The program was focused on socio-economic and political uplift of women. Under this project awareness campaign was launched, started with community meetings, workshops, seminars and open forums, where the local and National issues were highlighted as well as issues related to women and negative customs were discussed.
Under this program, Skill Training Centers were established for economic uplift of the women. These centers are providing various skills such as cutting, sewing hand and machine embroidery, knitting, macramé, wall hangings and decoration pieces etc. Provision of legal aid to the women was also part of this project

2. Political Empowerment
a. Democracy & Human Rights Program (June 2002- February 2003)

With the objective to create awareness about political rights, democratic values, importance of vote and its usage, this program was based on concerted seminar and forum series which were held for the public debate and dialogues. The target participants and stakeholders in this program were representatives of political parties and candidates contesting elections. After the election, the elected members were again invited in open forums to discuss their views and programs.
b. Political School – Under Strengthening Democratic Governance in Pakistan Program (SDGP)
In collaboration with

SAP- PK a political school was established to engage and maximize political participation of Youth, Peasant workers and women of district Mardan. The underlying objective of this ongoing program is to convert their efforts into collaborative mainstream political action program.
c. Women’s Political Right to Vote (Action – Aid 2008)
This program was started in two selected union councils with collaboration of Action – Aid Pakistan to highlight the political right of women. It was short term program based on advocacy campaign and capacity building of UC councilors. Main themes covered in this project were, women democratic rights to vote, encouraging their participation in political process.

3. Capacity Building & Mass Sensitization Through Interactive Theatre

• WDO Interactive Theater Resource Center

WDO is the only organization in district Mardan which has team of highly trained staff, who are expert in interactive theater art and street theater understanding. It has established the Interactive resource center in district Mardan with the financial support from Action- Aid Pakistan. The objective of this center is to train the local and provincial NGO’s / CBO’s to present different local, national issues by using interactive techniques. This component intensively helped to create awareness among the target community and brought change in the attitude of society, regarding peasants and particularly mind-set of men towards women rights.

• Documentary Production Unit
WDO is the only organization working at district level in local and rural areas of Mardan and adjacent districts on documentary production. Documentary production unit has covered multiple social, political and right based issues, especially focusing on women. This program has been implemented with collaboration and technical support of Interactive Resource Center (IRC).

4. SDGP-Program (2006 ongoing)
This program is started with collaboration and financial support of SAP-Pk. It is focusing on Democracy and Good Governance in the target 6 union councils of Mardan covering both male and female peasant workers and community members. It has four major components;.
a. Group formation and professional training of the Peasant workers.
b. Making bridges and Linkages between PWGs, GLAs, ERs, and CSOs.
c. Networking of the PWGs at District and Provincial level.
d. Capacity Building of PWGs to enable them for Political Participation in democratic & decision making process.
Ultimate aim of the project is to transform these groups into self reliant CBO’s / CCBs. beside these four major components; professional trainings for local government representatives were also organized.

5. Citizen Empowerment Program
WDO in collaboration with International Foundation for Election System – IFES has also completed this project in two union councils of district Mardan. The program was based on the capacity building and awareness rising about the local government system. The target community (communities and elected representatives) were trained and sensitized on collective action for development through C.C.Bs.

6. Economic Empowerment

• WDO Vocational Centers
WDO has the distinction in educating the marginalized communities, especially women on skill development techniques. It is providing its continuous support to the vocational centers in the rural and urban areas of district Mardan. During 2003-2004 with the financial support of SPO, women development organization has upgraded these centers. These centers were equipped with advance equipments and staff was also trained on advance skill which helped them to improve their socio-economic status as well as enhanced their knowledge about the market trends.

7. ORS campaign / Health
The Campaign was launched in Three UCs with the collaboration of NCHD. It was a short term activity that impartial significant consciousness among the illiterate masses about the important of ORS for the health and care of their infants.

8. PACFREL Program
WDO being partner in smooth electoral process and democratic rights initiatives in Pakistan has establish close coordination with partner agencies and other humanitarian organizations. In this regard, in collaboration with PACFREL it has organized pre-post and Election Day activities in General Election 2008. A team of 20 Observers (10 male & 10 Female) was engaged to observe the election process in the District Mardan.

9. Networking

i. Home based women workers.
WDO is also working with Home Based Women Workers, who have different skills like, sewing, hand and machine embroidery, knitting, macramé, wall hangings and other decoration pieces. WDO is committed to improve their quality of work by focusing on quality management, designing and color scheme. WDO has developed its district based network of these workers where they can share their experiences and problems. This network is likely to extend to other districts in the province as well. WDO has established its skill training center where variety of decoration pieces, wall hangings & traditional dress are being produced. These products are further introduced to the local market.
ii. Peasant Workers Network at District Level.
Under this program WDO has been able to develop strong and active Peasant Workers Network at District Mardan.
iii. Female Peasant Workers Network
On similar lines Separate Female Peasant Workers Network is also established.

10. Relief and Rehabilitation
WDO is also engaged in relief and rehabilitation activities since its inception. Its relief unit started its formal work in August 2005 during Flood in Mardan. The relief and rehabilitation services were focused on flood affected Women & Children. WDO Relief Unit is working with IDPs of Swat & Buner with collaboration of SSEWA-Pak, under Food Provision Program from May 2009 onwards. This food distribution project was aimed at provision of Food Packages to 100 IDP families on monthly basis. This project was funded by Tearfund-UK.

In partnership with SAP-PK NFIs for Women IDPs & Newly Born Babies, were distributed among 499 families in district Mardan. WDO also distributed hygiene kits among IDP women with the support provided by Omar Asghar Development Foundation.

11. Advocacy

Though Advocacy is broader term, but WDO has focused its efforts to three major areas in different projects, i.e.
• Fundamental Right-based advocacy.
• Discriminatory Customs and Practices against the Women.
• Socio-economic / Political uplift of the peasants and youth.

12. Legal Aid and Guidance

WDO has also ensured its legal aid and advocacy guidance to marginalized groups through its various interventions. Initiatives taken but not limited to;
• Legal Aid and guidance for women in prison
• WDO’s distinctive legal outreach program is one of its main strength.
• WDO, initiated legal aid and advocacy campaign for the women cell of District Jail Mardan and provided them legal guidance on various issues.

As a result of these interventions WDO has been able to develop a team of highly skilled and professional lawyers group at district level. This group is further linked with other active advocacy groups at inter-district level.

13. Youth Groups for Peace and development

WDO has also one of very active and energetic pool of youth volunteers, whose participation is ensured in its different interventions and activities. WDO believes in engaging youth and encouraging them to play their proactive role in human development. WDO District level youth group is actively participating in;
• Mass sensitization and mobilization
• Facilitation and monitoring in elections
• Facilitation in organizing district level seminars, workshops & forums
• Conducting Research and Surveys.
• Disseminating peace and tolerance message by adopting interactive approaches.
• Facilitating partner NGO’s/ CBOs/ CCBs and Government line departments in their various need based interventions.

14. Resources/ Expertise:

• WDO has well established linkages with rural and urban population of district Mardan, supported by over 12 office staff, 68 volunteers, in 55 villages of selected union councils
• Compiled various human development reports including district profile,
• Staff is well trained in developing awareness building material
• WDO Documentary production unit has compiled more than 4 documentaries on disaster mitigation, elections, gender etc.
• WDO has to its credit various Awards, titles, coverage, patronage, including nomination of noble peace women in the year 2006

Women Development Organization ( WDO )
Head Office: Near
Public Health Engineering Office Eid Gaha Road
Mardan, Pakistan-54000

we will appreciate your contribution to the development of this region.

SAHAJ SANSTHAN
B-182-Jawahar colony-Khichan-342308
(Phalodi) District-Jodhpur
Rajasthan
INDIA