What We do
In an effort to enhance social accountability, a comprehensive approach was adopted to build citizens’ capacity on their rights and raise widespread awareness about the Right to Information (RTI). This initiative aimed to educate the masses and empower them to hold duty-bearers accountable.
To improve service delivery, various strategies were implemented, including dialogues and workshops. These events facilitated the establishment of effective linkages between duty-bearers and right-holders, fostering a more responsive and efficient service delivery system.
Empowering women was another crucial focus. Efforts were made to increase women’s capacity for political participation through voter education and assistance with CNIC registration. Additionally, there was a concerted push to promote mass awareness of RTI, ensuring citizens understood their right to access information.
Developing multi-stakeholder platforms at district and provincial levels played a key role in bridging gaps between duty-bearers and right-holders. These platforms provided a space for dialogue and collaboration, enhancing mutual understanding and cooperation.
Furthermore, aspiring women candidates for local bodies and general elections were mobilized and given the necessary training to build their capacity, ensuring they were well-prepared to participate in the political arena. Through these combined efforts, significant strides were made in promoting accountability, improving service delivery, and empowering women in the community.
Education
A series of initiatives were undertaken to enhance educational and social outcomes. Enrolment campaigns were conducted to target parents and children, aiming to increase school attendance. Collaboration with the Quaid-e-Azam Academy for Educational Development (QAED) focused on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) and integrating the WASH in Schools Strategy (WinS). In addition, campaigns were launched to combat child and bonded labor.
To further support adolescent girls in schools, the School Education Department in Punjab worked to replicate the MHM model. The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training partnered to monitor and evaluate Lahore’s Basic Education Community Schools (BECs). Finally, the School Education Department received support for implementing the WASH in Schools Strategy, ensuring a comprehensive approach to health and education in the school environment.
Disaster Risk Resilience
In District Bahawalpur, a series of measures were taken to enhance community resilience to extreme heat events. Anti-heatwave kits were distributed, support was provided to Rescue 1122, and the heatwave center at BV Hospital Bahawalpur was scaled up. Temporary cooling facilities were set up, and awareness campaigns were launched to educate the community about heatwave preparedness.
Active participation in humanitarian working groups, networks, and alliances, including the technical group on “Heatwave,” ensured a collaborative approach to these efforts. Additionally, flood and emergency response support was provided to marginalized and vulnerable communities, including pregnant women, children, girls, and persons with special needs (PWSNs).
During the COVID-19 response, over 4.2 million people were reached with inputs and awareness-raising initiatives in the WASH, Livelihood, Health, and Food Security sectors. Efforts to improve resilience in urban and rural communities against natural and manmade disasters were also prioritized. To mitigate the economic and social impacts of climate disasters, microfinance, assets, and financial assistance were offered.
Winterization kits, MHM kits, and non-food items (NFIs) were distributed, along with awareness campaigns to enhance community resilience to climate disasters such as floods. The disaster preparedness and humanitarian response capacity of both rural and urban communities were significantly enhanced. Cash assistance was also provided to marginalized communities during flood and COVID-19 responses, ensuring comprehensive support in times of crisis.
Health & Nutrition
AGAHE is a well-respected organization that tackles various issues, including nutrition. They promote sustainable farming methods and advocate for biofortifying crops, particularly wheat, to enhance the nutritional status of Pakistanis. These initiatives contribute to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) by improving food security, reducing malnutrition, and promoting overall well-being.
We collaborate with various groups, including government agencies, NGOs, universities, communities, and millers, to create strong food systems, increase dietary variety, and empower communities to live healthier lives. Their focus on nutrition ensures that people and communities have access to enough safe and nutritious food.
We took a multi-pronged approach to tackle malnutrition in Pakistan by focusing on biofortified zinc wheat (BZW). They started by empowering farmers. Over 7,000 farmers, including hundreds of women, were trained on growing, separating, and using BZW. This knowledge enabled them to cultivate this nutritious crop and improve their diets.
We didn’t stop there. They collaborated with the Punjab Food Department to ensure proper storage of BZW. Their technical guidance led to the creation of separate storage facilities at designated procurement centers. This segregation ensured that BZW wouldn’t get mixed with regular wheat, preserving its nutritional value.
Sustainable Livelihood
Developing enterprise models in agriculture, WASH, and nutrition, such as stitching units, water shops, and commercialization of biofortified crops.
Improving market linkages for vulnerable communities, including women and people with special needs, by leveraging technology.
Increasing the capacity of potential strivers and micro-entrepreneurs in enterprise development and entrepreneurship.
Enhancing livelihood conditions through asset transfers and capacity building.
Enhancing women's participation in economic activities in Punjab.
Providing livelihood inputs and cash assistance to vulnerable and marginalized communities based on poverty scoring in humanitarian & development contexts.
Improving access to financial services in 11 districts of Punjab through interest-free and commercial loans to support vulnerable women in developing small enterprises for sustainable livelihoods. Over 99% of the beneficiaries are women.
Raising mass awareness among vulnerable and marginalized groups about gender-based violence and women's economic empowerment.
- Enhancing women's participation in economic activities in Punjab.
- Developing enterprise models in agriculture, WASH, and nutrition, such as stitching units, water shops, and commercialization of biofortified crops.
- Improving market linkages for vulnerable communities, including women and people with special needs, by leveraging technology.
- Increasing the capacity of potential strivers and micro-entrepreneurs in enterprise development and entrepreneurship.
- Enhancing livelihood conditions through asset transfers and capacity building.
- Providing livelihood inputs and cash assistance to vulnerable and marginalized communities based on poverty scoring in humanitarian and development contexts.
- Raising mass awareness among vulnerable and marginalized groups about gender-based violence and women's economic empowerment.
- Improving access to financial services in 11 districts of Punjab through interest-free and commercial loans to support vulnerable women in developing small enterprises for sustainable livelihoods. Over 99% of the beneficiaries are women.
Nutrition and Climate-Smart Agriculture
Biofortification of Crops
Strengthening Food Systems
Biofortification of Crops
Improving Quality Standards of Crops
AGAHE, with support from GAIN, HarvestPlus, and Oxfam, collaborates with government departments to establish uniform seed and crop quality standards and to raise awareness among VCAs, including farmers. The current focus is on wheat, rice, and edible oil and ghee. AGAHE has signed an MOU with the Rice Research Institute, Kala Shah Kaku, and is a member of the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP), an international certification body for sustainable rice production, to enhance knowledge products and evidence regarding these standards.
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
WHAT WE ARE DOING
APPROACH
AGAHE is working in partnership with Government Ministries, Departments, Sector Partners, Academia, Private Sector, National and International Consortiums, Networks and Alliances through System Strengthening approaches to build strong institutions with accountability, responsiveness, and robust coordination delivering equitable, affordable, climate resilient and sustainable WASH services in Pakistan.
Together we are strengthening key Sector Building Blocks including Institutional Arrangements & Coordination, Service Delivery Infrastructure, Inclusive Planning, Regulation & Accountability, Finance, Monitoring, Water Resources & Environment, Learning & Adaptation, Demand, Behavior & Political Will.
AGAHE’s Key Achievements and Contributions in WASH Sector:
- Facilitated HUD&PHE Department to develop the Open Defecation Free (ODF) Sustainability Guidelines Punjab.
- Strengthening Coordination Mechanisms and Forums at National, Provincial, and District level to build synergies among key WASH Actors for coordinated planning and collective action.
- Providing technical support to key government departments with WASH mandates to develop departmental capacity building plans and providing training around a range of building blocks and climate resilience.
- Facilitating Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination (MOCC&EC) for development of Clean Green Pakistan Index Framework (Rural WASH) as monitoring and mutual accountability mechanism.
- Facilitated government in achieving and declaring the first ever ODF District “Muzaffargarh in Pakistan.
- Providing technical support to government for development of fully life cycle costed Climate Resilient WASH Master Plan for District Muzaffargarh.
- Evidence based Advocacy for updating the WASH related policies and sectoral reforms.
- Developed Climate Resilient and Sustainable WASH Infrastructure Models in communities, schools and health care facilities.
- Improved Access of people to Clean Drinking Water, improved and Safely Managed Sanitation and Good Hygiene in Rural and Urban Settlements in Pakistan.
- Developed Social Enterprise Models around drinking Water to ensure the smooth operation & Maintenance and sustainability of the facilities.
- Developed Sewerage Treatment Unit (STU) Models as wastewater treatment solutions and providing safely managed sanitation services in rural areas.
- Mechanized collection, disposal, treatment, and management of solid and liquid waste in communities and institutions.
- Water secure Punjab through development of water safety planning and its incorporation in government WASH sector plans.
- Improved WASH Governance; enabled Social Accountability and Citizen-led Governance.
- Enhanced Capacity of Communities, School Management and Government Institutions on WASH services, monitoring and sustainable operations & maintenance (O&M) of WASH Facilities.
