IDSP

Introduction

Pakistan like most of the developing countries is facing the problem of malnutrition among the school children particularly in the rural areas due to deficiency of energy, proteins and micronutrients in their diets. Pakistan’s social and health/nutrition indicators are amongst the worst in the developing countries. Most of the people in Pakistan do not take enough food to live a healthy and productive life, there are several factors behind that, the most prominent factor is poverty. Poverty has very precarious effect on women and children as compared to men because of the Socio-cultural aspect of our society where men are given preference over women in all aspects of life including food, health, education etc.

Educational status:
The female literacy rate in the rural areas of Pakistan as low as 15%, it is estimated that out of 8.2 million out of school children 5.9 million are female. About 75% girls drop out of school at primary level.

Health status:
The infant mortality rate is about 110/1000 births, which is extremely high as compared to 60/1000 births in developing countries. Out of 2.5 million girls born in Pakistan each year, it is estimated that at least 6 lakh are under nourished at birth with an increased risk of mental and physical disability. According to the survey in 1991 one in every two children under five were stunted (low height for age) and one in every ten was wasted (low weight for height) this situation has become worse over the decade. An alarming prevalence of 85% anemia and 75% goiter in school children (5-12 years) mostly in rural areas has recently been reported.

In order to address the above given situation the Government of Pakistan through the CDWP in its meeting held on 29th June 2002 and ECNEC in its meeting held on 2nd September 2002 approved a mega pilot project of Ministry of women Development social welfare and special education named Tawana Pakistan: School Nutrition Package for Girls. The total cost of the project is 3.6 Billion for the period of 54 months starting from Jan 2002-June 2006.

The project is designed to provide daily mid day meal at the rate of Rs. 7 per day per child, weekly micronutrients supplements and bi-annually de-worming medicine to the girls of 5-12 years of age in 29 highly poor districts of Pakistan including Northern Areas and AJK. It is expected that about 530,000 girls (including boys enrolled in girls schools) of 5300 girls primary schools enrolled and un-enrolled will benefit from this project. Apart from this Rs. 1000 per month is provided to STCs as community development fund and Rs. 5000 (one time) for the purchase of utensils.

The project is being implemented through the implementing agencies Pakistan Baitulmal and Aga Khan University with Partner NGOs. IDSP is the implementing partner in 6 districts of Balochistan namely, Kachi, Chaghi, Kharan, Kalat, Killa Saifullah and Loralai.

Project Goal: To bridge the gender gap in the rural areas through improving nutritional and educational of girls in target districts.

Primary Objectives

• To improve the nutritional status of school age girls.
• Increase enrollment and sustain attendance of girls in primary schools.
• To access un-enrolled girls through nutrition program.

Secondary Objectives:

• To create awareness of better living concepts in the community on public health and nutrition.
• To introduce through participatory process capacity building for community empowerment.
• Devolve responsibility to the beneficiary for the ownership and sustainability of the program.

Expected Outcome:
• 18% greater weight gain for age
• 10% height gain for age
• 100% increase in enrollment in target district Girls primary schools.
• 30% decrease in students drop out rate.

Major Stakeholders:
The major stakeholders of Tawana Pakistan Project are as under:

• National Implementation Unit:
It manages and monitors project implementation through coordination with line ministries, Provincial line departments, and district government in collaboration with the two-implementating partners i.e; PBM and AKU.

• Pakistan Baitulmal (PBM):
PBM as an implementing partner is responsible for the following:
o To disburse funds and provide logistic support at district and school level.
o To distribute weighing machines, measuring tapes and Management Information System (MIS) tools to the project schools.
o To distribute de-worming and micronutrients to the project schools.
o To coordinate, monitor and report all Tawana related activities.
o To disburse funds to the district account and from the district account to the School Tawana Account.
o
• Aga Khan University & Partner NGOs:
AKU in the close collaboration with its NGO partners in provinces perform the following functions:
• Collect baseline information.
• Develop training material.
• Train Master Trainers who provide relay training to CO, Teacher and STCs
• Community Mobilization.
• Assist the community/STC in:
o Formation STC.
o Identification of Community Organizer.
o Preparation of weekly menu.
o Record maintenance.
o Opening of Bank/post office account.
o Conduction of monthly meetings.

• Provincial Coordination Committee (PCC):
The provincial Education Secretary heads PCC whereas its members include representatives from line departments (Health, Local Government, P&D, Social welfare etc) PBM, AKU and partner NGOs. This committee periodically reviews the project performance at the provincial level.

• District School Nutrition Committee (DSNC):
The district Nazim chairs the DSNC, its members consist of the District Coordination Officer, District Field Supervisor (NGO) Executive District Officers (health, Education, & social welfare/ community development) Social Mobilizer PBM is the secretary of the committee. The committee reviews the performance of the project at district level.
DCO and EDO (Education) are the cosignatories of Tawana Project account at district level and are responsible for releasing funds STCs against their quarterly demand.

• School Tawana committee (STC):
STC is the grass root platform to bring about the operational harmony and participative spirit leading to synergy at community level, it includes local women appointed as Community Organizer, representatives of parents, teacher, school children, lady councilor and lady health worker.
The community Organizer is appointed from the community by the community to look after all the feeding program at the school level with the support from the other STC members. The community organizer is paid monthly honoraria of Rs.1500.

Institute for Development Studies and Practices (IDSP-Pakistan) is basically a human resource development organization and has a wide network of learners all over the country. So far IDSP has succeeded in training more 500 people through out the country. IDSP visions Tawana as an opportunity for the capacity building of people specially women at grass root level. Keeping in view this vision IDSP signed an agreement with Aga Khan University on 28th August 2002 for implementing Tawana Pakistan Project in 6 districts of Balochistan Namely; Kachi, Chaghi, Kharan, Kalat, Killa Saifullah and Loralai. IDSP is the first implementing partner of Tawana Pakistan Project in Balochistan.

After the signing of the contract Ms. Farzana Yasmin was given the responsibility of Project Coordinator and Mr. Ahmed Jan was selected as Deputy Project Coordinator. Interviews were conducted at district level for the selection of the field teams. District Kachi was the first district of Balochistan where Tawana was implemented. The fieldwork was started from Tehsil Jhal Magsi on 20th September 2002 after the 5 days training of the field workers from 9th –13th September 2002. District Kachi was followed by district Chaghi, Kharan, Kalat, Loralai and finally Killa Saifullah.