Giving back to my community!

Dear LinkedIn Connections,

?I was away from LinkedIn for the last six months. Let me share my story with all of you:

I opted to take off from my professional career for the uplift of my native town (population more than 40,000) which was facing huge issues related to social services, lack of engagement of residents in the development, and numerous other issues which are highlighted below:

I am successful information of a civil society organization that has done tremendous work in the last four months. Here are the details:

Before our organization was formed my native town (Dhamtour) was facing severe issues of portable water. Almost 50 percent of households didn't receive the basic necessity of life more than three times a week and that was almost for only one hour.

There was no representation at all levels.

The community was disengaged and lacked interest in participation due to different obvious reasons. Only one valved man on the scheme was working despite the fact there were four posted on the water supply scheme.

The solid wastage treatment plant was in the final stages of construction in the area without the consultation of the town residents.

No voice was raised regarding the delimitation issue. As in the 2018 elections, the constituency was changed from city to rural area.

Lack of engagement of youth in development work. Students were never appreciated by residents for their brilliant performances in the Board exams.

Lack of communication with service providers of basic social services. The town was famous for notorious things and stereotypes.

We have been able to deliver unexpected results in the last four months:

1. The water supply scheme is fully functional, and more than 97% percent of the population is having two hours or more water on a daily basis.

2. The water scheme is managed by Public Health and Engineering Department and society is monitoring and facilitating the department for ensuring water supply to residents.

3. Four-valve men are now working on the scheme regularly and ensuring undisrupted water supply to the town residents.

4. More than 8 meetings were conducted with SE, XEN, SDOs, and sub engineers of PHED for scheme-related developments.

5. PHED has proposed rehabilitation of main tank of fifty thousand gallons in the current fiscal year. The valves were cleaned, and leakage was controlled.

6. We launched a successful campaign against the construction of a solid waste treatment plant. Mobilized the town residents and successfully defended it in the public forum. The forum was organized by EPA and water services Abbottabad.

Our technical specialists, PHDs, lawyers, policy specialists presented their arguments. We mobilized more than 400 people for participation in the forum and we showed the government that we are not interested in the construction of a treatment plant in our beautiful town.

7. We are lucky to have our lawyers in our organization, the team approached Peshawar High Court and our case is in PHC against the construction of a solid waste management facility at Dhamtour. We are hopeful that the case would be dealt with fairness and our green zone shall not be destroyed.

8. We also worked with the landowners and 90 percent of them are not willing to handover their land for the construction of the facility at our beautiful town.

9. We had detailed meetings with the special secretary to KPK for local governments and presented our case. The meeting was attended by all executive body members at our village hujra.

10. SBS also approached Asian Development Bank and had detailed meetings with director of redressal mechanisms and project manager online. The ADB team was online from Manila, Philippines. We successfully presented our case.

11. First time ever in history we planned and organised education seminar for our students who scored the highest marks in board exams. SBS presented certificates and shields to students. The seminar was attended by students, male and female teachers parents of children, Ph.D. scholars, elders of the community. The chief guest announced for ambulance and garbage collection van.

12. Mobilised community against current unjustified constituency delimitation and organized an agitation rally which was participated by more than 1500 people. This was a historic rally that was unprecedented anywhere in Abbottabad.

13. Successfully organized inauguration of ambulance and waste disposal project in which more than 1000 residents participated. The SBS has received donations of more than 400,000 PKR in the last four months, SBS will be generating 250,000 PKR monthly. We hired an ambulance driver, a waste disposal van driver, and three cleaners for collecting garbage from the area.

14. Our registration with the social welfare department under the societies act is going to happen soon and our constitution is final stage of preparation.

15. SBS has approached most of the town residents and its body constitutes more than 200 elders and around 250 youth.

We are working solely for the purpose of development and uplift of community members be it female, male and children. We want a community where there is no discrimination based on race, tribes, financial positions, and families.

?Our educated lot is coming in front and contributing to the development of the area. The idea was to build a team of young energetic individuals who shall take charge of the development of the area and myself supporting, facilitating, and contributing to this great cause.

Lastly, I always believe that everyone lives and can live for their families and loved ones but to me life means lifting others, training new leaders, contributing to different forms and levels for fellow human beings.

Stay blessed and be safe everyone!